Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur called on Union Home Minister Amit Shah late last evening along with State Power Minister Sukh Ram, MP and State BJP President Suresh Kashyap, Vice Chairman HP State Civil Supplies Corporation Baldev Tomar, MLA Reena Kashyap and members of Haati Community. Chief Minister thanked the Union Minister for taking up the matter of according Tribal status to Haati Community of Sirmour district at appropriate level and giving priority to the issue which was neglected by previous Congress governments. Later addressing media persons this morning at New Delhi, Chief Minister said that the matter is likely to be resolved very soon and a favourable decision may be taken by the Centre. He said that this will benefit about three lakh population of 154 panchayats of trans giri area. He said this community resides in four Assembly Constituencies of Sirmour district which include Shillai, Paonta, Renuka and Pachhad.
He further said that this community enjoys tribal status in Uttarakhand which shares border with Sirmour district. He said that they were accorded this status long back in 1968 and share similar culture and socio economic conditions with those residing in district Sirmour. Chief Minister further detailed about the long struggle for getting the tribal status during Congress governments and was turned down many times. He however said that BJP governments at Centre and state always took a favourable stand for the cause of Haati Community and the present Centre government has understood the genuineness of the long pending demand and struggle of the community. Chief Minister said that he had consistently pursued the issue with the present Home Minister Amit Shah and also the then Home Minister Rajnath Singh who have taken a positive view on the demand. Chief Minister thanked the Centre government for always according priority to the demands of the state.
