A Pahari song sung by a woman, in praise of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti, has created a sensation on social media as members of the Pahari tribe are sharing it on different social media platforms to give a “loud and clear” message to the opponents.
The 59-second video clip of a woman namely Tazeem, who is a native of the remote village of Daara in the border district of Poonch, has created ripples among “big and resourceful” political players namely the ruling Bharatiya Janta Party, the National Conference, and the Apni Party.
‘Aasaa Mehbooba Mufti Jetanee, Iyo Sadee Marjee Oh Maan Dola’ (It is our heartfelt desire to ensure the victory of Mehbooba Mufti), the woman is seen repeating these lines in her melodious voice amid applause from the people gathered to listen to the PDP president.
As @BJP4India has not fielded its candidate for the #AnantnagRajouri Lok Sabha seat #Paharis come in support of @jkpdp president @MehboobaMufti Mufti in this Lok Sabha constituency.
A Pahari woman sings a song supporting @MehboobaMufti in the #Mendhar area of #Poonch. pic.twitter.com/gvI8S9Fr3C
— Gaon Tribune (@GaonTribune) April 27, 2024
Mehbooba’s opponents have reasons to be worried as the members of the ethnic Pahari tribe, who were granted Scheduled Tribe status during the last session of the 17th Lok Sabha, turned out in large numbers to participate in PDP president’s rallies and road-shows in the border district of Poonch.
The overwhelming presence of Paharis in the rallies and road-shows of Mehbooba Mufti is an indication that this ethnic community is tilting in the favour of the PDP after being virtually “abandoned” by the “immature” and “non-serious” leadership of J&K BJP in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.
Before the beginning of the Lok Sabha elections, the majority of the members of the Pahari ethnic group-irrespective of caste, creed, and religion were in favour of the BJP as the community is indebted to the Central Government for fulfilling their long pending demand of Scheduled Tribe status.
But the community is in dilemma due to the “shocking” decision of the ruling BJP not to field its candidate on the newly crafted Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha.
As members of the Pahari ethnic tribe are still “indecisive” about supporting a particular candidate due to the absence of the BJP from the contest, Mehbooba Mufti has seized this opportunity to conduct a whirlwind tour of the Poonch district to mobilize the support of this community.
The PDP’s arch-rival National Conference fielded a prominent Gujjar leader and veteran politician Mian Altaf and Apni Party’s Pahari candidate Zafar Iqbal Manhas, who also owns an allegiance with Pahari tribe, have yet to start an aggressive campaign but Mehbooba Mufti has taken a lead and successfully reached out to the Pahari community.
“As of now, the majority of the Pahari voters of the twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri are in favour of the PDP after a successful tour of Mehbooba Mufti”, a senior leader of PDP from Poonch said.
He, however, aired apprehension that the ruling BJP would definitely start some damage control exercise to reach out to this community. “Although the BJP has not fielded its candidate for the Anantnag-Rajouri seat to support Apni Party, the Saffron Party’s decision is a blessing in disguise for our party on this prestigious seat”, the PDP leader told the Gaon Tribune, wishing anonymity.
Why Anantnag-Rajouri’s seat is so important in J&K?.
The newly carved Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha constituency has become the most-talked about and hot seat among the five Parliamentary constituencies of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
During the Delimitation exercise, this seat was specially crafted to make the twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri a deciding factor on the Anantnag-Rajouri segment. This Parliamentary segment became a prestigious constituency when the founder of the Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) Ghulam Nabi Azad announced to join the electoral battle against PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti.
Although after assessing the ground situation, Azad could not muster the courage to join the electoral battle but the seat is the focus of attraction due to presence of Mehbooba Mufti.
Historic bill to grant ST status to Paharis passed in February this year
Paharis of Jammu and Kashmir became the first linguistic group to get Scheduled Tribe status in the country after a historic bill passed in the last session of the 17th Lok Sabha.
On February 6, 2024 Lok Sabha passed the much-awaited “Constitution (Jammu and Kashmir) Schedule Tribes Order (Amendment) Bill, 2023”.
After the passing of this much-publicized bill, the “Pahari ethnic group,” “Paddari Tribe,” “Koli,” and “Gadda Brahman” communities were included in the Scheduled Tribe List of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
The historic bill was introduced in Parliament by Arjun Munda, the Minister of Tribal Affairs, on July 17, 2023, and passed on February 6, 2024, just ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.
While introducing the Bill, the Minister stated that Scheduled Tribes have been defined in clause (25) of Article 366 of the Constitution as such tribes or tribal communities or parts of or groups within such tribes or tribal communities as are deemed under Article 342 to be Scheduled Tribes for the purposes of the Constitution.
In accordance with the said constitutional provisions, the first list of Scheduled Tribes in respect of the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir was notified vide the Constitution (Jammu and Kashmir) Scheduled Tribes Order, 1989.
The said list of Scheduled Tribes was amended vide the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Amendment) Act, 1991.
By virtue of the provisions of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, the said list of Scheduled Tribes, presently applies to both the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir and the Union territory of Ladakh.
List of tribes in ST list of J&K
1. Bakarwal
2. Balti
3. Beda
4. Bot, Boto
5. Brokpa, Drokpa, Dard, Shin
6. Changpa
7. Gadda Brahmin
8. Gaddi
9. Garra
10. Gujjar
11. Koli
12. Mon
13. Paddari Tribe
14. Pahari Ethnic Group
15. Purigpa
16. Sippi.
Amit Shah had promised to grant ST status to Paharis in October 2022
While addressing a rally at the border town of Rajouri of Jammu and Kashmir on October 4, 2022 Union Home Minister Amit Shah had promised that the Pahari-speaking people of Jammu and Kashmir will get Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. He, however, announced that ST status would be granted to Paharies, but not at the cost of the rights of existing scheduled tribes of the Union Territory.
The Union Minister assured like Gujjar and Bakerwals, Paharis will also get ST status as it was the long pending demand of this community. He, however, assured Gujjars and Bakerwals that this decision would not dilute the rights of the communities that are already enjoying the ST status.
“There will be no effect on the reservation of Gujjars and Bakewals even by one percent,” Shah had assured”
The Gujjars, who already have a reservation under the ST category, had apprehensions that granting the ST status to the Paharis would dilute their quota.
Importance of Pahari community in J&K politics.
Pahari community is a dominant force in Poonch, Rajouri districts of Jammu province, and Baramulla and Kupwara districts in Kashmir Valley.
After delimitation boundaries of all five Lok Sabha seats have changed, the entire Poonch district and areas of Rajouri district have become part of South Kashmir with the creation of the Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat. This has assured parity in the Parliamentary seats with Jammu and Kashmir divisions having two and a half seats each.
The entire Poonch district and Rajouri, Nowshera, and Thanna Mandi Assembly constituencies of Rajouri district are part of the Anantnag-Rajouri Parliamentary seat. Anantnag, Kulgam, and Shopian districts will be part of this seat from South Kashmir.
The Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha Constituency comprises Assembly segments including Zainapura, Damhal Hanjipora, Kulgam, Devsar, Dooru, Larnoo, Anantnag West, Anantnag, Pahalgam, Nowshera, Rajouri, Darhal, Thanna Mandi, Surankote, Poonch and Mendhar.
