Srinagar, Feb 7: Former MLC Dr Shehnaz Ganai has described as historic move granting of Scheduled Tribes status to Paharis.
In a statement, she said, “On behalf of the Pahari community of Jammu and Kashmir, I express my gratitude to every member of the Lok Sabha, who voted in favour of the Constitution (Jammu & Kashmir) Scheduled Tribes Order (Amendment) Bill, 2023, granting scheduled tribes status to Paharis Ethnic Group. This landmark bill will pull the oppressed Paharis out of the clutches of the oppressors who for long have been victimised and reduced to non-entity vote banks due to the dirty local politics. It is only due to the humane approach of the Modi government towards the minorities, that this politically and economically vulnerable class of J&K’s society finally found empowerment in real sense.”