BJP trying to lure Pahari community ahead of polls
Although the Election Commission of India (ECI) has yet to announce first ever polls after abrogation of Article 370, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has revised its strategy to lure Pahari community across Jammu and Kashmir.
The party in intensified its activity to implement the plan to gain political mileage in the upcoming polls by attracting the Pahari Community.
Moving in the same direction, the party recently conducted back-to-back rallies of in the internal areas of border districts of Rajouri and Poonch, which comprise major population of Paharis.
In the rallies, J&K BJP president Ravinder Raina left no chance to lure the Paharis and stressed that the party is committed for development and upliftment of all the communities in J&K which are intentionally being ignored by the previous governments in erstwhile J&K State and Center for their political gains.
He also mentioned the recent statements of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah in which they talked about the Pahari community and problems being faced by them in the past.
Raina also stressed that BJP provided justice to all the communities even to the last man standing and hoped that the time is not far when the problems and demands of Paharis will be met in the coming days.
Pertinently, some voices are also coming out to oppose ST status for Paharis on the pretext that language could not be a criteria for granting reservation to any community. It was also said that no committees or commissions in the past ever recognised or recommended Paharis for benefits of reservation under relevant rules and laws.
Some political observers are of the view that this move of BJP can annoyed other communities especially Gujjars and Bakarwals which are believed to be the strong vote-base of BJP and in the last Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in erstwhile State, BJP was able to garner hefty votes from the community especially from Rajouri and Poonch districts.
On the other hand, the party leaders believed that the party will make a balance among both the communities so that their vote-bank can be strengthened in forthcoming Assembly elections.
