By AIP Bureau
Jammu: The Jammu and Kashmir government will vigorously pursue with the Centre the matter relating to grant of Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to Pahari-speaking people of the state, Social Welfare Minister Sakina Itoo said on Friday.
She gave this assurance in the Legislative Council while replying to a discussion raised by NC member Mohammad Rashid Qureshi.
The Minister said the demand for granting ST status to Pahari-speaking people was also projected by the then Governor Lt Gen (Retd) K V Krishna Rao in 1993.
Even the State Legislature had passed a resolution in this regard, Itoo said.
She said the working groups, set up by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, had also suggested grant of ST status to the Pahari-speaking people.
The Minister said the state government would vigorously pursue the matter with the Union government.