PM Modi understood Hattee community’s pain, fulfilled their demand for ST status: Amit Shah at Sirmaur rally

Ambika Sharma

Solan, October 15

“55-year-old pain of the Hattee community was brought to an end by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has an emotional connect with Himachal. As many as 154 panchayats comprising 379 villages and 1.60 lakh people will benefit for generations from the ST status as they get benefit of various reservation policies,” said Union Home Minister Amit Shah during the Hattee Aabhar rally at Sataun in Sirmaur district today.

The rally was specially organised in the Hattee dominated belt to thank the Union government for granting Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to the Hattee community living in the trans-Giri area of Sirmaur.

Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, state BJP president Suresh Kashyap, state in-charges Avinash Rai Khanna, Saudan Singh, Sanjay Tandon and MLAs of the district were present on the occasion.

Central Hattee Committee president Ami Chand and general secretary Kundan Shastri felicitated Amit Shah with their traditional robe ‘loeya’ and pahari cap.

Attacking the Congress on the occasion, Amit Shah said they were trying to mislead the masses on this issue and assured the Scheduled Caste (SC) community that all their concerns pertaining to Prevention of SC/ST Atrocities Act would not be compromised with.

The Home Minister said new rivaaz of ‘Ek baar BJP, baar baar BJP’ would now be established. He illustrated the example of Uttrakhand where BJP had returned to power with 2/3rd majority. He said old traditions like green cap and red cap, which were synonymous with Congress and BJP, respectively, would vanish as only BJP would dominate after the polls.

Shah vouched for freedom from dynasty politics which was the hallmark of the Congress. Modi has finished this tradition in the BJP, he said.

He also recounted various initiatives like abolition of Article 370 in J-K, construction of Ram temple, surgical strikes, etc. He appealed to the people to ensure BJP’s victory on all five seats in Sirmaur district and change the tradition.

He said time of rajas and maharajas was over and now it is the time of those who performed.

Speaking on the occasion, State BJP president Suresh Kashyap said the Hattees were denied the ST status since the last 55 years though their counterparts in Jaunsar Bawar area of Uttrakhand had been granted this status in 1967. He sought the support of the Hattees to change the existing tradition of returning the ruling party to power.

A slogan ‘Hattee ka mama kaisa ho, Jai Ram mama jaisa ho’ echoed in the rally contrary to the earlier slogan where CM was portrayed as not acceding to their demand of old pension scheme.

Addressed the gathering, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for fulfilling the long-pending demand of the Hattee community.

“It was an emotional issue for the Hattees which would benefit generations.  Some opposition leaders were trying to mislead the SC community for political gain though their concern has been addressed. Sirmaur was among the first four districts of the state and the first CM hailed from this district.”