Sajjad Shaheen demands Pahari status to Chenab region

Banihal, Oct 04: National Conference (NC) leader and District President Ramban, Mir SajjadShaheen Tuesday sought Pahari status to entire Chenab region that includes Ramban, Doda and Kishtwar districts of erstwhile district Doda, saying people living in this region speak Pahari and thus deserve to be considered for benefits of reservations as applicable to this particular category.
“The residents speaking Pogli (Khahsha), Siraji, Bhaderwahi, Bhalasvi, Kishtwari and Padri dialects should be brought under the ambit of Pahari languages and provided the benefits of reservation.”
A statement from the party said that the District President, while speaking in a meeting of party functionaries of Banihal constituency at Banihal on Tuesday stressed the need for considering this long standing demand of the area, saying this will particularly assuage the urges and aspirations of the youth.
Shaheen said that the entire Chenab region has a composite culture and apart from Kashmiri and Dogri languages the main dialects spoken in these districts are Pogli (Khahsha), Siraji, Bhaderwahi, Bhalesvi, Kishtwari and Padri in addition to Gojri and Gaddi dialects.
Shaheen further said that people living in this region are facing discrimination as they faced the same hardships in education, health and other infrastructure besides inhaling the same air and drinking the same water but at the time of given opportunities in competitions, employment etc they are being deprived of the concessions and privileges as granted to and enjoyed by people living in other areas.