Pahari speaking people delegation met Dineshwar Sharma in Rajouri.

Jammu: Pahari Speaking People under the leadership of Sh. Kuldeep Raj Gupta Vice Chairman State Advisory Board for the Development of Pahari Speaking People met center special representative Sh. Dineshwar Sharma today in Dakbanglow Rajouri for grant of ST status. Those who have accompanied Gupta are state Pahari member Nissar Rahi, Azam Shah Dev Raj Sharma, chain Singh, Vijay Kochhar and Kapil Jasyal,.

Gupta briefed Dineshwar Sharma about the problems being faced by the Pahari speaking community in the state. Vice chairman said Pahari speaking people mostly live along the line of control and inhabit the places like Poonch, Rajouri, Karanah, Uri, Anantnag, Baramulla, and Kupwara. Besides this Paharis being residents of border areas the Paharis has always proved their loyalty to the Indian nation and have even suffered on account of frequent cross-border / LOC disturbance/ firing.
That during the peak of militancy, this community /tribe always stood by the national sentiment and rendered its service to the nation.That during the height of turmoil in Kashmir, the Paharis organized huge public rallies at places like Karnah, Uri, Poonch, Rajouri, Mendhar etc. appealed for peace/normalcy in the national interest.
These people are still downtrodden, socially economically and politically backward. Gupta said the total population of Pahari across the state is 10.20 lacs. The genesis of the demand of the Paharis for the grant of ST status is based on the argument that they reside along with the Gujjar population in various parts of the State and therefore face the same problems as their Gujjar counterparts.
Vice chairman also said that we are not here to harm the rights of Gujjar but we demand what we deserve. We have been deprived of our basic right (ST status) for decades which is a total injustice.


In the end, Gupta thanked Dineshwar Sharma for patiently hearing the demands of Pahari speaking people.