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STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Enraged over the neglect of Koli community while granting 3 per cent reservation to Pahari speaking people in government jobs despite repeated assurances, Harsh Dev Singh, JKNPP Chairman and former Minister, on Friday lambasted the BJP-PDP alliance for ignoring the said community despite their legitimate claims for inclusion in the said category.
While hailing reservation in jobs to Paharis, he said that the Agenda of Alliance unambiguously stated in Clause F of point No. 27, the commitment of the government to provide ST status and resultant reservation to Paharis and Kolis, but the latter were blatantly disregarded as the said tribe wholly belonged to Jammu region as against former who predominantly inhabited Kashmir region with some belts in Rajouri and Poonch.
Talking to reporters here, Harsh said that BJP-PDP had promised job reservations and the grant of ST Status to Paharis and Kolis during their election campaigns and had subsequently incorporated the same in the Agenda of Alliance.
He however regretted that whereas the Paharis were granted 3 per cent reservation by amending the J&K Reservation Act during the recent Assembly session no initiative was taken thereafter by any of the parties to rake up the issue during the said session of the Legislative Assembly.
He said that the Koli community largely inhabit district Udhampur, Kathua, Doda and Ramban, with all the elected representatives belonging to BJP from the said areas.
He however regretted that not a single MLA of the said area promoted their cause in the Assembly or outside while granting reservations to Paharis who predominantly inhabit District Baramulla and Kupwara of Kashmir Valley.
Harsh said that the reservations in government jobs and grant of ST status to Kolis was projected 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 he had further petitioned the Prime Minister of the country who had in turn sought a report on the issue from the State Government. Regretfully, he said, the State Government failed to respond. He said that he had agitated the issue in the erstwhile Legislative Assembly also and the government had assured to process the case.
Urging upon the Governor 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.
Paramjit Singh Marshall State President Panthers Trade Union was also present in the press conference.
