Our Correspondent
Chamba, June 10

The Akhil Bharatiya Parachinar Biradari has sought tribal status for the people of the Parachinar biradari who migrated to India from Kurram Parachinar in North-West Frontier province in 1948, which was a tribal area as defined under Section-2 (G) of the Displaced Persons Compensation and Rehabilitation Act, 1954.

In a press note issued here today, Mr Surinder Kukreja, president of the All-India Akhil Bharatiya Parachinar Biradari, said the organisation had presented the case to the state as well as the Central Government, but to no avail. On August 27, 1999, the organisation had submitted the case to the Backward Commission of Himachal Pradesh, but again had got no response.

Mr Kukreja regretted that so far the biradari could neither avail of the benefits under the Displaced Persons Act, nor enjoy the status of tribal category, as a consequence, its members had remained illiterate. He said hundreds of children above graduation were jobless because no incentive was given to them by the government.

Mr Kukreja demanded tribal status for the Parachinaris as in case of people of Bharmaur, Pangi, Kinnaur and Lahaul-Spiti.

Mr Kukreja pointed out that the timber distribution rights from the Chamba forest depot at concessional rates which were allowed to the biradari members till 1992, were now being snatched though at the time of allotment of evacuee property to the people of the community, all rights titles, claims or whatsoever the property had been transferred.

It was surprising now that timber distribution rights had been allowed only to pre-1939 settlers. This was unjustified.

Mr Kukreja asked the Himachal Pradesh Government to reconsider the decision on timber distribution rights.