Srinagar, Oct 10: Awami National Conference (ANC) President on Monday said that state governments do not grant ST status to any community.
In a statement, she said,” The state governments make recommendations. The President of India issues Notification.” Reacting to the recent statement of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Khalida Shah said,” Article 370 was never an impediment in the development of the State of Jammu and Kashmir and neither an impediment in the grant of Scheduled Tribe status to Paharis or other similarly situated communities as is being repeatedly stated by BJP leaders .
She added that if Article 370 was an impediment in the grant of ST status to any community, then how in the past before 2019 a good number of communities of Ladakh and Gurez were granted ST status. “The people of Ladakh were given ST status during my party NC(K ) government headed by my late husband G M Shah in 1985 and besides that the Gujjar and Bakerwals of Jammu and Kashmir too were granted ST status in 90/91 with Article 370 being a part of the Constitution,” ANC President said.
