STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: The Jammu and Kashmir Batwal Welfare Association presented ‘Lt Col ManoharLal Kaith Memorial Award’ to Dr Vijay Kumar for Social Scientific Understanding.
Association also gave away ‘Captain Raja Ram Kaith Medal of Honour’ to meritorious students as an encouragement and with an object to spread literacy in the community.
Those who received the said medals included Dr Sonika Sandhu (BAMS), Daljeet Motan (M.Tech), Renu Bala (MBA). Neha Bharti (BAMS), Nitasha Kaith (BAMS), Vandana (BA, B.Ed) and Roshni Lakhotra (2nd position holder in Class 8th)
Talking to reporters after giving away awards, Association General Secretary R.L Kaith said that Lt Col ManoharLal Kaith and Capt. Raja Ram Kaith were eminent members of the Association who after their retirement from Indian Army, contributed consistently in all aspects of voluntary service whether it was practical assistance to others or community activities or raising funds for charity.
Unfortunately, both the members died in the prime age and the Association in order to keep their memory alive instituted the said award and medals in their honour which would continuously be presented to the brilliant students of the community every year, he said.
He said that since 67 years of independence, the central as well as the State Governments have done a lot for the uplift and betterment of all socially and economically weaker sections but so far nothing has been done for the Batwal community which is lagging behind in all fields.
“Batwal community has never been given any sort of representation in the State Legislative Council or any government forum despite the fact that it has the maximum strength among the Scheduled Caste communities,” he alleged adding that all the communities have been allotted land by the government in the vicinity of Jammu for the construction of community halls except Batwal community.
He urged the Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed to allot a suitable piece of land in the Jammu city to Batwal community for the construction of a Community Hall.
He also urged the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to sanction ‘Economic Package’ in favour of the Batwal Community on the basis of its Survey Report so that its members could also lead a dignified life like others.
Besides, Association also demanded from government that AIIMS should have been established at Jammu as the Kashmir had already SKIMS in addition to GMC.
Others present in the press conference were Capt. Kamal Chand Motan, Capt. Darbari Lal Sargotra, Sub. Maj. Gunni Ram Kaith, Sub. Maj. Thoru Ram Mandi, Sub. Baldev Chand Sandhu, Hav. Des Raj Kaith, Hav. Thoru Ram Sandhu, P.P Motan, Ramesh Kumar Kaith, Gurdas Chand Sargotra, Tara Chand Motan, Duni Singh Motan, Surinder Kumar Kaith, B.R Suman, Sham Lal Sandhu, Bishan Lal Tugga, Mohan Lal Sandhu, Madan Raj Kaith, Swarn Dass Lakhotra, Chaman Lal Kaith and Naresh Kumar Kaith.
