Hatti Community of Himachal's Trans-Giri area demands "tribal status"

A delegation of the Hatti Community of Trans-Giri area met the Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur in Shimla on Saturday demanding the "tribal status" for the community which has been pending since 1979.

Amichand Kamal, head of the Central Committee of Hatti Community said, "The demand of tribal status for the community has been pending since 1979. There are nearly three lakh people who have been demanding this. In 2018, a committee was formed and a report has been given by the state government on the subject. Now, they are hopeful that their demand would be fulfilled."

Speaking to media persons, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said, "The State government would effectively take up the matter before the union government to declare Trans-Giri area of Sirmour district as tribal area and Hatti community as Scheduled Tribe."

Thakur said that he would take up the matter regarding declaring the Trans-Giri area of Sirmour district as a "tribal area" with the Union Home Minister Amit Shah. He said that this would not only ensure an additional and special budget for this area but also meet the long pending demand of the people of this area.

Jai Ram Thakur said, "The report to the Registrar General of India has been submitted in their favour and they deserve it, I earlier had a discussion with the Union Minister of Home Affairs, Amit Shah Ji on the issue."

The chief minister also informed that the adjoining area of Jaunsar area of Uttrakhand has already been declared as a tribal area. MP and State BJP President Suresh Kashyap, Power Minister Sukh Ram Chaudhary, MLA Reena Kashyap, Vice Chairman State Civil Supplies Corporation Baldev Tomar, Chief Secretary Ram Subhag Singh, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Subhasish Panda and representatives of Hatti communities were present in the meeting.

( With inputs from ANI )