JAMMU: Flaying the State Government for its neglect in recommending the grant of ST status to Koli’s alongwith the Pahari speaking people, Harsh Dev Singh, JKNPP Chairman and former Minister, described it as yet another obnoxious doze of discriminatory treatment administered to the hitherto deprived Jammu region.
He pointed out the while the State Cabinet in its yesterday meeting recommended the grant of ST status to Pahari speaking people, it contemptuously ignored the Kolis despite its election time promises besides its commitments in the Agenda of Alliance.
Harsh regretted said that while PDP-BJP Agenda of Alliance on Page 10 categorically provided for the grant of ST status to Kolis and Paharis, the State Cabinet disdainfully omitted to make any mention of Kolis in the Cabinet deliberations as the latter were the inhabitants of purely Jammu region. He regretted that even the communiqués of the Union Government and PMO Office on the subject were disregarded by the State Government for reasons best known.
He deplored that Koli community which inhabited the far flung areas of District Kathua, District Udhampur, District Doda and District Ramban qualified for ST status in view of their cultural distinctiveness and vulnerable socio-economic conditions but were made to suffer due to callous approach of authorities. Singh said that the grant of ST status to Kolis was forcefully agitated by him during the proceedings of ‘PM’s Working Group on Centre State relations’ of which he was a member and the said group had endorsed the said demand with its positive recommendations.
He said that Union Tribal Affairs Ministry had also written to the State Government in pursuance of his communiqués asking for the latter’s comments which had also been ignored by the State Government. Flaying the lackadaisical attitude of the concerned authorities towards the most legitimate demand of the said community, Harsh said that the grant of ST status to Kolis has been recommended by various Deputy Commissioners of J and K State but the much needed decision in respect of the said recommendations was still awaited.
Justifying the demand of Kolis for inclusion in ST category, Singh stated that Koli and Sippis belong to the same family having same culture, occupation, language, economic and social status and residing in hilly area having negligible land owner ship and are dependent upon rearing of animals. He said that whereas Sippis were included in ST category, the Koli’s were ignored inadvertently which needed to be rectified.
He said that while the grant of ST status to Gaddis and Sippis and now to Paharis was welcome but the omission of Kolis who belonged to marginalise communities amounted to grave injustice which was required to be undone at the earliest.
Urging upon the Chief Minister to take notice of the genuine grievance of the Koli community, Harsh sought initiation of appropriate steps for inclusion of the said class in ST category. He further apprised that Deputy Commissioner Kathua vide letter no. DCK/LHS/2014-15/1271-75 dated 11th December, 2014; Deputy Commissioner Udhampur vide office no. DDCU/CM-Sectt./ 2014-15/1062 dated 30th May, 2014; Deputy Commissioner Doda vide office no. 1106/SQ dated 22nd October, 2014 and Deputy Commissioner Ramban vide office no. DCR/SQ/346-48 dated 29th June, 2015 have all recommended the grant of ST status to Kolis and appealed for early action in respect of the same. Singh said that JKNPP shall continue to fight for the cause of the poor, downtrodden and deprived sections of society. He sought immediate settlement of the issue of Kolis failing which Panthers Party would intensify its agitation for their rights.