Home Minister Shree Amit Shah Announces A Quota In Kashmir, Which Is A First For India Amit Shah today declared at Rajouri in Jammu and Kashmir that the Pahari community will soon get reservation in education and jobs as a Scheduled Tribe (ST), a pre-election promise aimed at widening the BJP’s support base. If implemented, this quota will be the first instance of a linguistic group earning a reservation in India. The central government will have to amend the Reservations Act in Parliament for it.
“The GD Sharma commission set up by the government has sent the report and recommended reservation for the Gujjar, Bakarwal, and Pahari communities. It will be given soon, “Mr. Shah said at a rally that marked the start of the BJP’s campaign for elections likely next year.
He claimed such a reservation became possible only after the special status of Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 was struck down. “Now, minorities, Dalits, tribals, and Paharis here will get their rights.”
The population of Paharis in the UT is estimated to be around 6 lakh, of whom 55 per cent are Hindus and the rest Muslim. However, the Gujjar and Bakarwal communities, who already have 10% ST quotas, have been resentful of the Paharis’ tribal status, arguing that Muslims and Hindus from privileged classes should not be given quotas solely on the basis of language.
Mr. Shah said existing STs “will not lose anything”. He claimed that “some people” tried to “instigate” Gujjars and Bakerwals, but “the people saw through their designs”.
He urged crowds to thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the move on August 5, 2019, when Articles 35A and 370, constitutional provisions that gave some autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir, were hollowed out. The state was divided into two UTs—Ladakh was thus separated—of which Jammu and Kashmir could have an elected assembly. Its first elections are likely to be held early next year as the process of demarcating constituencies and finalising voter rolls is almost finished.
Mr. Shah said, “I want to appeal to you to free Jammu and Kashmir from the clutches of the three families that rule here.” He did not name the families, though the PDP of the Muftis and the National Conference of the Abdullahs have been his targets, as have been the Gandhis of the Congress.
