Decks cleared for according ST status to Himachal's Haati community: CM Thakur
New Delhi: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jairam Thakur on Tuesday said decks have been cleared to accord tribal status to Haati community in Sirmour district and it will benefit around three lakh people of 154 panchayats covering the state's four assembly constituencies.
He said with this the BJP will fulfil its years-long promise of according Scheduled Tribe status to the community, which was neglected by the previous Congress governments.
Addressing a press conference, Thakur said he had called on Union Home Minister Amit Shah late Monday evening and thanked him for taking up the matter of according Tribal status to Haati Community of Sirmour district at appropriate level.
Thakur was accompanied by the state power minister Sukh Ram and state BJP chief Suresh Kashyap, vice chairman HP State Civil Supplies Corporation Baldev Tomar, MLA Reena Kashyap and members of the Haati Community.
"The matter is likely to be resolved very soon and a favourable decision may be taken by the Centre," he told reporters.
He said that this will benefit about three lakh population of 154 panchayats of trans giri area. This community resides in four assembly constituencies of Sirmour district which include Shillai, Paonta, Renuka and Pachhad.
If the community is granted the ST status, then it may be a boost for the BJP ahead of the assembly polls in the state later this year.
Thakur, though, played down any link to the approaching polls, saying the demand was first made decades back, and his party had included the issue in its manifesto way back in 2009 first.
On earlier occasions, the Registrar General of India had flagged certain issues which, the chief minister said, have now been sorted out. The RGI has now given its approval, he added.
He further said that this community enjoys tribal status in Uttarakhand which shares border with Sirmour district of Himachal Pradesh.
Thakur said that in Uttarakhand the community was accorded tribal status long back in 1968 and it share similar culture and socio economic conditions with those residing in district Sirmour.
Chief Minister further detailed about the long struggle for getting the tribal status during Congress governments and was turned down many times.
He, however said that BJP governments at Centre and state always took a favourable stand for the cause of Haati Community and the present Centre government has understood the genuineness of the long pending demand and struggle of the community.
Chief Minister said that he had consistently pursued the issue with the present Home Minister Amit Shah and also the then Home Minister Rajnath Singh who have taken a positive view on the demand.
He thanked the Centre government for always according priority to the demands of the state.
