Rajouri/Jammu: In a pre-election promise aimed at widening the BJP's support base, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday declared at Rajouri in Jammu and Kashmir that the Pahari community will soon get a reservation in education and jobs as Scheduled Tribe (ST).
If implemented, this quota will be the first instance of a linguistic group earning 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 Gujjar, Bakarwal, and Pahari communities. It will be given soon," Shah said at a rally that marked the start of the BJP's campaign for elections likely next year.
He claimed such reservation became possible only after the special status of Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 was struck down. "Now, minorities, Dalits, tribals, Paharis here will get their rights."
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 can have an elected assembly. Its first elections are likely early next year as the process of demarcating constituencies and finalizing voter rolls is almost finished.
Shah asked the people to "strengthen" Narendra Modi who has "given reservation and empowered the Paharis and Gujjars".
"Power is now with 30,000 people who were elected to panchayats and district councils through fair elections," he added, underlining that village-level elections had already been held.
"Earlier, all money sent by the Centre for development was usurped by a few, but now everything is spent on welfare," he claimed.
He also claimed that the security situation is "far better" now due to the "strong action" taken against terrorists by the Modi government.
Mehbooba Mufti has said the BJP's claims belie facts on the ground. "it is just dividing communities by using reservation," she has alleged.