New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday said that the Centre will implement a committee recommendation to provide reservations for Gujjar, Bakarwal, and Pahari communities.
Addressing a public meeting in Jammu & Kashmir's Rajouri, Shah said: "Committee set up to examine quota benefits recommended reservation for Gujjar, Bakarwal, Pahari communities, we will implement it", news agency PTI reported.
According to news agency ANI, he credited the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A as paving way for tribal reservation to be made possible.
" Would it have been possible to get tribal reservation if Articles 370 and 35A were not removed? With their removal now, minorities, Dalits, tribals and Paharis will get their rights," he added, as per ANI.
The senior BJP leader also targetted the opposition as he emphasised that three families removed democracy to rule for generations.
"For 70 years, Jammu and Kashmir was ruled by three families, democracy was built only within their families. Did all of you ever get the right of Gram Panchayat, Tehsil Panchayat, and Zilla Panchayat? Three families had removed the meaning of democracy, Jamhooriyat only to rule for generations," said Shah, as quoted by ANI.
Just three families used to rule J-K but now the power is with 30,000 people elected to panchayats and district councils, he emphasised.
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According to the Union Home Minister, deaths of security personnel in the region has come down from 1,200 per year to 136 this year due to Modi government's strong action against terrorists, PTI reported.
"Earlier, all money sent by Centre for J-K's development was usurped by a few but now everything is spent on people's welfare," he said.
In Jammu, Amit Shah will further launch development projects and also lay foundation stones for various projects at Convention Centre.
On the second day of his visit on Wednesday, Shah will review the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir at a meeting that is slated to be held at Raj Bhavan in Srinagar.
According to ANI, Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha, top officials of the Army, paramilitary forces, state police, and civil administration will take part in this high-level meeting expected to begin at 10 am.
Shah will later address a public meeting at Baramulla around 11.30 am. Before concluding his visit to the Union Territory, Shah will also launch and lay foundation stones for various development projects in Srinagar.
(With Agency Inputs)