Bhalla leads POJK DPs delegation to CM Omar Abdullah in Jammu
04/03/2026
Jammu, March 03 (KIP)- In a significant political development with far-reaching implications for lakhs of displaced families in Jammu and Kashmir, JKPCC Working President Raman Bhalla on Tuesday led a high-level delegation to meet Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, seeking urgent intervention against what he described as the “systematic denial” of Scheduled Tribe (ST2) certificates to members of the displaced Pahari community from Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (POJK).
Calling the issue one of “constitutional justice and equal treatment under law,” Bhalla urged the Chief Minister to immediately direct all district administrations across the Union Territory to ensure uniform implementation of the Scheduled Tribe notification for the Pahari Ethnic Group (PEG), without discrimination on the basis of present place of residence.
During the meeting, Bhalla also forcefully raised the long-pending demand for implementation of the Parliamentary Committee’s recommendation of a ₹30 lakh rehabilitation package for PoJK Displaced Persons (DPs). He said that thousands of families uprooted during the 1947 conflict continue to live in economic hardship and deserve comprehensive financial relief to ensure dignified rehabilitation.
“This is not merely a question of certificates or financial aid. It is about correcting historical injustice faced by families who sacrificed their homes and livelihoods during one of the most turbulent chapters in our history,” Bhalla stated.
The delegation submitted a detailed memorandum dated March 3, 2026, highlighting grievances of displaced persons belonging to the Pahari Ethnic Group who are presently residing in different districts of Jammu Division—particularly Jammu district—but outside Rajouri and Poonch.
According to the memorandum, eligible applicants fulfilling all criteria under SO 176 dated March 15, 2024 are allegedly facing arbitrary rejection or non-processing of their ST2 applications in districts other than Rajouri and Poonch.
The delegation comprised Amrit Bali (Ex-Sarpanch), Retd Col Ravinder Sharma, S. Rajinder Singh (Ex-Sarpanch), S. Gurmeet Singh, S. Inder Pal Singh, Ankush Raina, Madan Lal Sharma, Romesh Raina, Koushal Kumar Shastri, Babu Ram Sharma, Tushar Sharma, Rohit Khujria and Retd SP Vijay Sharma, among other representatives of the displaced community.
They sought immediate directions to the competent authorities to process and issue ST2 certificates to eligible members of the displaced PoJK Pahari community without discrimination based on geographical location.
Bhalla pointed out that as per Rule 21 of SO 176, any person seeking benefits under the Pahari Ethnic Group category must belong to the Pahari clan, community or tribe with distinct cultural, ethnic and linguistic identity produce valid identification documents such as Aadhaar Card, Voter Identity Card or Domicile Certificate, obtain certification from the competent authority, namely the concerned Tehsildar.He asserted that displaced PoJK Pahari families fulfill all these requirements, yet are allegedly being denied ST2 certification solely because they presently reside in districts like Jammu or Samba.
Terming this interpretation “restrictive, discriminatory and unconstitutional,” Bhalla emphasized that geography has never been the determining factor for Scheduled Tribe status. “Ethnicity, culture, lineage and language form the constitutional basis for ST recognition—not district boundaries,” he remarked.
The delegation referred to an earlier official clarification issued in response to a former legislator from Kishtwar, wherein authorities had categorically stated that the ST status granted to the Pahari Ethnic Group is based on distinct ethnicity and not geographical location.“It is ironic and contradictory that while the government acknowledges ethnicity as the sole determining factor, displaced PoJK Paharis living outside Rajouri and Poonch are being excluded,” the memorandum noted.
Drawing attention to what they described as “absurd and unjust situations,” the delegation cited cases where two brothers born to the same father displaced from Poonch during the 1947 conflict are being treated differently by the administration.As per the memorandum, one brother settled in Rajouri or Poonch has been granted ST2 status, while the other residing in Jammu or Samba—after the family lived in migrant camps—has been denied the same and placed in the general category.
“This selective implementation defies logic and violates the constitutional principle of equality,” the memorandum stated, adding that such inconsistencies are creating frustration and alienation among displaced youth.The delegation further recalled that the earlier Pahari Speaking People (PSP) certificate approved in 2020 was implemented only in six districts, creating what they termed as an “artificial geographical limitation” on a community sharing identical ancestry and cultural identity across the Union Territory.
Bhalla said the repeated pattern of partial implementation—first under PSP and now under ST2—has deepened resentment among displaced families who feel deprived of opportunities in education, employment and political representation.
Reiterating the demand for the Parliamentary Committee’s recommended ₹30 lakh package for PoJK displaced families, Bhalla said the issue of identity recognition and economic rehabilitation must go hand in hand.
He stressed that while ST recognition would provide access to reservation benefits in education and employment, financial rehabilitation is equally critical for families that lost agricultural land, property and livelihood during displacement. “For nearly eight decades, these families have struggled to rebuild their lives. The ₹30 lakh package is not a fa