Home minister’s visit to Jammu and Kashmir: Paharis anticipate ST status

Union Home Minister and BJP leader Amit Shah (Illustration: Suneesh K)

Ahead of Union home minister Amit Shah’s visit to Jammu and Kashmir, the Pahari people of the Union Territory are anticipating the announcement of Scheduled Tribe status for their community, something that they have been demanding for four decades.

However, people from the Gujjar community are up in arms, fearing a dilution of the quota they have enjoyed for 30-odd years. Gujjars from Jammu and Kashmir have been given 10 percent reservation in education and employment across the nation.

Shah is on a three-day visit to UT. He will pay obeisance at the Vaishno Devi shrine on Tuesday, and later address a rally in Jammu region’s Rajouri district.  On Wednesday, Shah will address a rally in Kashmir region’s Baramulla district.

He will also chair a high-level security review meeting, and review developmental activities in the region.

The state unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is supporting the demand of the Pahari community for ST status.

Former state minister and Pahari leader Mushtaq Bukhari said, “The Pahari people are indebted to the prime minister and home minister for publicly acknowledging their role in nation building. One lakh people are ready to welcome Amit Shah in Rajouri. Usually, such events are held either in Jammu or Srinagar, so it’s an important visit and will be historic. We have high hopes that we will be granted the coveted ST status soon.”

The Pahari community along with six others were recommended Scheduled Tribe status by the then Farooq Abdullah-led National Conference in 1989. While other communities got the ST status, the Pahari community did not.

“Though I stand by our Gujjar brethren’s right to protest in a democratic manner, it’s still disheartening to see. No Pahari protested in 1991 when our case was rejected and they (Gujjars) were granted ST status. It was political discretion than, and will be now as well,” said Bukhari.

Political observers say the venues chosen by the BJP to kick-start its election campaign in the UT are of strategic importance as these areas have a high Pahari vote count. Sources said that J&K Commission on Socially and Educationally Backward Classes has already submitted its report to the government and recommended reservation to the Pahari community.

Uproar over ST status to Paharis

Leaders of the Gujjar community have threatened an agitation if the government gives ST status to Paharis. According to them, non-existent Paharis were granted 39 percent reservation under various categories under the J&K reservation rules from 1994 to date. The Paharis do not constitute a tribe and don’t deserve ST status, they argue.

Javed Rahi, founder and general secretary of the Tribal Research Foundation, told Moneycontrol, “The Gujjar community is opposing the move for several reasons. The community believes it is an ethnic group, not linguistic like the Paharis. Also, the Pahari community comprises upper castes of Muslims and Hindus and giving them Scheduled Tribe status is illegal and unconstitutional. Moreover, people from the Pahari community already have a high literacy rate and resources, unlike Gujjars.”

Political analyst and journalist Zaffar Choudhary said the BJP shouldn’t portray Shah’s visit as exclusively for the Pahari community. “The party should play a key role and build confidence among the people. Even the HM would not like to see any kind of division among the communities,” Choudhary added.

Politics

Recently nominated Rajya Sabha MP Ghulam Ali Khatana had told Moneycontrol that the quota of the tribal communities, Gujjars and Bakerwals, must be protected. Tribal communities are politically underrepresented, do not have much exposure and can be easily manipulated by vested interests, he said.

On her part, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday accused the BJP of creating a rift between the Gujjar and Pahari communities.

She appealed to the people to maintain peace, and added, “Dignity and shame are in the hands of Allah and not in the hands of any devil. Stop fighting with each other, live together and don’t let their impure intentions succeed. The BJP is here today; it won’t be there tomorrow. Don’t create an atmosphere of enmity.”