Poonch, January 29: The 3% percent reservation for Pahari community in Jammu and Kashmir at one side brought a wave of happiness among all the Pahari speaking people of Jammu and Kashmir but at other side it also revealed the propagandists against Pahari people of the state. A young Pahari leader who ran nook to corner to fight for the pahari reservation in the last few years was expelled from National Conference without any showcase notice and enquiry.
Raja Mahmood Khan, president Jammu and Kashmir Pahari Revolutionary Movement (JKPRM) has been fighting for the rights of Paharis in the recent years was also holding the post of Vice President NCSU. He united the Pahari youth and brought them on a single platform to provide this socially and economically weak community their right of reservation and schedule tribe status. He succeeded in his mission when Hon’ble Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Shri Satya Pal Malik gave his assent to the pending Pahari Reservation Bill but those who stood against Paharis couldn’t bear all this and reacted hastily and expelled Mr. Khan from NC’s basic membership which brought a great criticism on social media.
The order to expell Mr. Khan from party was first issued by Iftakhar Choudhury President NCSU on January 25, 2019, a day after the Pahari Reservation Bill was given assent. The order states that:
In today meeting it has been decided that Mahmood Iqbal Khan is expelled from the basic membership of NCSU due to his anti-party activities with immediate effect.
Surprisingly, the order copy was sent to former MLA Mendhar, Shri Javed Ahmed Rana which drew a great criticism for NC Party over social media and other platforms. The order didn’t mention about any showcase notice, explanation or justification from the expelled member.
When contacted Raja Mahmood Khan said: “I had no idea that I would be expelled from the party for supporting Paharis. I worked and shall keep working for the betterment of Pahari people, no matter how many people stand against me. The party expelled me from the basic membership came to me as a surprise as I used to work for the party sincerely. We needed party’s support to further work for the welfare of public.”
Over the huge criticism, the NCSU President issued another order on January 27, 2019 justifying his previous order. In which he stated that Khan was expelled by the party only because he shared the stage with BJP MLC Vibodh Gupta.
The mindset of the top position holder in NCSU could be judged by his statement that the public representative should only be known by his party name. Someone in NCSU didn’t tell the President of NCSU that Shri Vibodh Gupta is an MLC not just of BJP but of the public.
Paharis got 3% reservation after a long struggle of decades by various Pahari leaders belonging to different political parties. The former governments of Jammu and Kashmir one after another failed to provide reservation to the Paharis for one or other reasons. The leaders over the years used Pahari Reservation as their master card in elections and Pahari people had been used a vote bank. Their support to various political parties over the time decided the government making in Jammu and Kashmir. With approaching assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, the Paharis are going to play a major role. But who shall they support this time? The parties who used them as a vote bank or those who are fighting for the welfare of Pahari people. The unity among Paharis seen after reservation will prove a major set back for many in coming days.
More surprisingly, the copy of new order was not sent to former MLA from Mendhar this time. The critics over social media raised questions over the fact that whether the NC party is reserved for only one political leader, his family and a particular community especially in Pir Panjal or was it a party of all.
It is pertinent to mention here that various office bearers in National Conference belongs to the kith and kins of NC leader from Mendhar. Provincial Youth Secretary of National Confrence Zeeshan Rana is the son of Javed Ahmed Rana, Iftakhar Choudhary Provincial President NCSU is the nephew of Javed Ahmed Rana whereas Zaffar Iqbal Choudhary, Advocate Nazeer Choudhary, Shoket Choudhary, Ajaz Kholi, Sarfraz Choudhary, all holding key positions in National Conference are the relatives of Javed Ahmed Rana.
A party for all became a party of a family only in Pir Panjal region especially in Mendhar constituency. Is there still some place for people belonging to other communities in Mendhar, we let it up to you to decide.
