Dr. Narinder Singh demands ST-II status for PoJK refugees settled in Jammu
Jammu 20 April: Dr. Narinder Singh, BJP National Secretary and Member of Legislative Assembly from RS Pura-Jammu South, has strongly advocated for granting Scheduled Tribe (ST-II) status to the refugees from Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) who are settled in the Jammu region.
Speaking on the matter, Dr. Singh highlighted the discriminatory treatment faced by the PoJK displaced community, stating that while those residing in Rajouri and Poonch have been granted ST-II status under the Pahari ethnic group, their relatives settled in Jammu continue to be denied the same recognition.
“All PoJK refugees are Pahari-speaking and share the same ethnic, cultural, and socio-economic backgrounds as those in Rajouri and Poonch. It is unjust and discriminatory to exclude them from the ST category solely based on their current place of residence,” Dr. Singh said.
As Pahari-speaking people, their historical and linguistic roots make them equally eligible for the benefits extended to the Pahadi group.
Referring to a response received in the J&K Assembly, Dr. Singh noted that the government had clearly stated that area is not a criterion for granting ST-II status based on Pahari ethnicity. Despite this, the Revenue Department refuses to issue Scheduled Tribe certificates to the eligible PoJK displaced persons living in Jammu.
Dr. Singh said that all the PoJK refugees are Pahari-speaking, and the community should be treated on par with ethnic Pahari tribe. He criticized the selective granting of ST status, which is currently limited to displaced persons from the Rajouri-Poonch region, as discriminatory and unjust. He said that the displaced community, whose roots trace back to the partition of 1947, has endured immense hardships since their forced migration.
“This deliberate neglect adds to their historic neglect after the tragic displacement triggered by deadly violence, which adds insults to their wounds”, said Dr. Narinder Singh.
He called upon the government to immediately extend the ST-II status to all PoJK refugees, regardless of their current place of settlement, and emphasized the need for policies that focus on inclusive justice and socio-economic development of all deprived sections of society.
