NC welcomes Shah’s assurance to Paharis

Jammu, Oct 5: National Conference leader Rattan Lal Gupta Wednesday welcomed Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s assurance of reservation to the Pahari community but accused him of “twisting historical facts” over the role of three families in Jammu and Kashmir.
At his first public rally in the Valley after the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019, Shah, in his 27-minute speech at Showkat Ali stadium in Baramulla district, trained his guns at leaders from opposition parties NC, PDP and Congress with frequent references to the “three families”, “Mufti and company” and “Abdullah and sons”.
The home minister blamed Abdullah’s (National Conference), Muftis (PDP) and Nehru-Gandhi (Congress) for the “lack of development” in Jammu and Kashmir as they ruled the erstwhile state for most of the years since the country’s independence.
Later, in a statement, National Conference provincial president Gupta said, “The struggle initiated by NC president Farooq Abdullah for the Pahari community’s rights in 1983 has finally reached its logical conclusion in 2022, with the Union home minister assuring reservation to the community.”
Shah on Tuesday announced that the Gujjar, Bakerwal and Pahari communities in Jammu and Kashmir will get reservation benefits in accordance with the recommendations of the Justice Sharma Commission which examined the issue of quota.
Gupta, however, said the NC would not tolerate if the ‘dole’ to the Paharis was given at the cost of genuine rights of Gujjars and Bakerwals.
“The NC leadership has continuously taken up the matter of Paharis with the Centre since 1983. The endeavour has finally led to relief for the community, which is a welcome step,” he said.
“The NC was also expecting an employment package for the youngsters of Jammu and Kashmir from the visiting home minister,” the senior NC leader said.