SRINAGAR: With the Gujjar and Bakerwal communities showing resentment over passage of a bill in Parliament to grant the Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to Paharis and Gadda Brahmin and two other communities in Jammu and Kashmir, Lt Governor administration on Friday launched an advertisement blitzkrieg in the UT to defend granting of ST status to four new communities saying there would be no reduction in 10 per cent ST reservation quota for the existing communities including Gujjars and Bakerwals.In order to put forth a government point of view on the ‘sensitive’ issue, the administration has gone on an advertisement blitzkrieg. The government published a full-page advertisement in the local newspapers.In the advertisements with the title “Empowering Tribals, Transforming J&K”, the government disclosed that Gujjar and Bakerwals, Balti, Beda, Bot, Bota, Brokpa, Drokpa, Dard, Shin, Changpa, Garra, Mon, Purigpa, Gaddi and Sippi are presently enjoying the ST status in J&K.It said that additional committees who will get benefits of ST reservation after passage of the bill include Paharis, Paddari, Koli and Gadda Brahmin. The ST status to the 4 additional communities is based on SEBC Commission recommendations. “The existing communities including Gujjar and Bakerwal will continue to get the 10 per cent reservation and there will be no reduction in it,” they added.
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