Paharis of Jammu Kashmir have been seeking ST status for 30 years, since Gujjars and Bakarwals in J&K were granted it in 1991, resulting in job and educational institution reservations for them. Pahari leaders have banded together to make a new push for political reservation after the Delimitation Commission recently recommended it for them as well.
The Bakarwals and Gujjars population in Poonch district is 43 percent, and Rajouri is 41 percent, according to the 2011 Census. Paharis refer to the remaining population in both districts, which includes Hindus and Muslims.
Numberless communities like Gujjar, Bakarwals, Gaddi, Aka, Apatani, Dafla, Galong, Khowa, Mishni, Khampti, etc, are getting benefits of ST reservation and have shown development in their standard of life, but there is one community, the Pahari, which resides in foothills of Himalaya and in spite of fulfilling all the requirements needed to come under ST reservation, is deprived of their constitutional right of reservation.
The Pahari people have been living a miserable life since independence. They live in kacha houses, with shifting agriculture and sheep farming their only occupation. They are deprived of access to higher education or government jobs.
AAP Vice President, Rajesh Gupta for the parliamentary constituency of Poonch-Jammu urged the Modi government that all the Pahari Speaking People of J&K must be granted the status of Scheduled Tribe.
On February 22,2022 Former Minister Syed Mushtaq Ahmed Bhukari gave his resignation as he was being continuously told not to fight for the Scheduled Tribe Status of the Pahari speaking people in their twin border districts.
Bukhari’s resignation came two days after he shared the dais with BJP J&K president Ravinder Raina at a Pahari leaders’ conference in Rajouri and Poonch on Sunday, where the demand for ST status was made.
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