SHIMLA: Right before the Lok Sabha polls, trouble is mounting for Congress party in Shimla parliamentary seat with Hattee community not happy with the delay in implementing the Scheduled Tribe Act for them and even BJP is questioning the delay. Representatives of Hattee community said that the Central Government has given ST status to them, but the state government has not implemented the Act even after four months. They said that the state government is trying to delay the decision which will not be tolerated. Questioning the delay on the part of state government, even leader of opposition Jai Ram Thakur said that Congress government should give Scheduled Tribe status to Hattee community as there is no benefit of hanging the Bill which has become a law after being passed by Rajya Sabha, Lok Sabha and getting the approval of the President of India.
The members of Hattee community recently had held protest demonstrations at Sataun and Shillai area of Sirmaur district demanding immediate implementation of Act. Ramesh Singta, chief spokesperson Hattee Vikas Manch said that state government is trying to delay, obstruct and divert the central law. He said that Hattee community has now taken to the streets as first there was a “Maha Akrosh” Rally in Nahan and after that there was an Akrosh Rally in Shillai.
He said that the state government is playing with the future of the students and chief minister Sukhvinder Sukhu should immediately take cognizance of this matter and implement the Central law and issue ST certificates to the students. He said that it is neither in the interest of the Hattee community nor the government to entangle the matter in the court as part of a well-planned political conspiracy. He said that on the instructions of the Central Hattee Committee, the youth held fast unto death for two days in Sataun and this trend will be intensified in the entire Trans-Giri area in coming days.
Former chief minister Jai Ram Thakur said that Congress should now desist from politics on this matter, because some topics are beyond politics and one should not do politics on them. He said that Congress should now accept this and cooperate.
He said that whatever technical issues have been brought forward, about which the Congress government has tried to raise questions. He himself had spoken to Union Home Minister Amit Shah on those issues, so that there is no doubt of any kind left. He said that some children had also gone to the High Court regarding this matter and the High Court has also clarified the situation by giving directions to issue a provisional certificate. Therefore, now Congress should rise above politics and work.
He said that the way Congress currently wants to create division in the society is not correct from any point of view. He said that it has been a long time and still the youth are waiting for the ST certificates. He said that the government is expected to work with the right intentions. So that the deprived people of Hatee community can also get benefits.