Tribal status of Hatti Community in HP : Rajya Sabha passed legislation with voice vote

At last, about 155 Panchayats of Giripar area of District Sirmaur got their rights after seven decades of independence as Indian Upper house of Parliament y passed the bill to give tribal status to Hatti community of Giripar area of Sirmuar district with voice vote on Saturday.

 In the Rajya Sabha during the winter session, the Union Minister for Tribal Affairs, Arjun Munda, presented a bill to give tribal status to the Giripar area of District Sirmaur in Himachal Pradesh, which was passed by the Rajya Sabha by voice vote.  It should be noted that the Union Cabinet had approved it on 14 September 2022, but the Bill cannot be implemented until it is approved by the Parliament. People of 155 panchayats will get benefits.It may be noted that politics was going on for the last seven decades on the issue of trabs Giri area of Paar valley of Sirmaur district, but this time it was implemented by the BJP. BJP lost the Assembly election in 2022 to Congress party in two assembly out of three which would be benefited with the decision. Congress election campaign succeeded to assuage the people of Sirmaur district that BJP is not honest on the issue to provide tribal status to Hati community as the  Union Cabinet has just given election lollipop  to them. With approval from the Parliament, BJP wants to make it straight that it is serious on Hati issue. It may be noted that in the year 1967, the Babar Jaunsar area of Uttaranchal bordering Himachal Pradesh was given the status of a tribe. Since then till today, the people of Giripar area were fighting for their existence, but the Bharatiya Janata Party has given this gift to the three lakh population of Giripar.  Even though the Bharatiya Janata Party has not got any electoral benefit from the Hati issue. In the winter session of the Parliament of the country, Union Tribal Minister Arjun Munda put it before the Parliament, which has been passed by voice vote and fulfilled the demand of Hati tribe of Giripar area of district Sirmour.  It should be noted that after getting the approval of the Parliament, the bill will now go to the President for approval and after getting the approval of the bill from the President, three lakh population of district Sirmaur will start getting its benefits. Even though only 1.60 lakh are to get this benefit as of now, because the community belonging to Scheduled Caste has been kept out of ST.

There was a demand by the Scheduled Caste class that they should not be included in ST, due to which they have been kept out by the Central Government. It may be noted that on September 14, the Union Cabinet approved the Hati Bill. During the recent assembly election campaign in Sirmour, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his stay in Himachal Pradesh also mentioned giving tribe status to the Hati clan of Giri Par in district Sirmour.  BJP candidates of Shilai assembly or former Shillai MLA Baldev Tomar lost this assembly election owing to the party’s long delay to take last call on the decision BJP is assuring people since 2014 parliament and 20117 assembly election to consider this demand .