JAMMU, Oct 8: Jammu Kashmir Sharnarthi Action Committee (JKSAC), a pioneer organisation working since 1967 for the settlement of Displaced Persons (DPs) of 1947 from Pakistan-occupied Jammu & Kashmir (PoJK), has reiterated its demand for issuance of ST-2 category certificates to eligible Pahari-speaking ethnic displaced persons settled in districts beyond Rajouri and Poonch.
The demand was raised during a meeting of the organisation in Jammu, where JKSAC also sought the complete acceptance and implementation of Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on Home Affairs Report No. 183, describing it as a comprehensive roadmap for addressing the long-pending issues of PoJK displaced persons until the territory is retrieved, as asserted by the Government of India.
JKSAC President Gurdev Singh strongly criticised what he described as confusion and bureaucratic delays over the issuance of ST-2 certificates to eligible youth and applicants belonging to the Pahari-speaking ethnic group residing in Jammu, Kathua, Samba, Udhampur and other districts.He said the issue had become clearer following the clarification made by the Social Welfare Minister on the floor of the House on April 8, 2025, and welcomed the Chief Minister’s endorsement of the position during the recent Autumn Assembly session at Srinagar.
Gurdev Singh appealed to the Chief Minister to honour his commitment by issuing appropriate directions to the designated authorities to facilitate issuance of ST-2 certificates to eligible Pahari-speaking youth applicants.He said that since the upheaval of 1947, generations of Pahari-speaking displaced persons had struggled not only to rebuild their lives but also to preserve their cultural and linguistic identity. He termed it unfortunate that, even after recognition of the Pahari ethnic group under the Constitution (Jammu & Kashmir) Scheduled Tribes Order (Amendment) Act, 2024, eligible displaced families were facing uncertainty over obtaining the relevant certificate.
“Merely because these people were displaced from their ancestral homeland cannot erase their centuries-old cultural and linguistic heritage,” he said, stressing that Pahari-speaking displaced persons from PoJK share a common cultural and linguistic identity with Pahari-speaking communities residing in Rajouri and Poonch.
The JKSAC president said thousands of families were forcibly displaced during the turmoil of 1947 and had endured decades of social and economic hardships while struggling for meaningful rehabilitation and recognition of their legitimate rights.He described the continued delay in issuance of ST-2 certificates as a matter of serious concern and urged the administration to ensure that eligible applicants are not subjected to unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles.
Gurdev Singh maintained that issuance of an ST-2 certificate to eligible members of the recognised Pahari ethnic group should not be viewed as a favour but as an entitlement arising from the applicable constitutional and legal framework.He cautioned that continued delay could compel affected people to intensify their democratic efforts for redressal of the issue and appealed to the government and concerned bureaucracy to issue clear directions to the designated authorities so that eligible members of the Pahari ethnic group receive ST-2 certificates whenever they approach the competent authority.