General Category Joint Forum Calls for Intensified Statewide Campaign on Reservation and Other Key Issues.
Shimla:
A meeting of senior office-bearers of the youth wings of the Nachan and Sundernagar Assembly constituencies in Mandi district was organized under the banner of the General Category Joint Forum, Himachal Pradesh, under the chairmanship of State President K.S. Jamwal.
The meeting was attended by several prominent representatives of various community organizations, including Jitender Vishisht, District President of Brahmin Sabha Mandi; Hem Singh Thakur of Rajput Mahasabha; Shiv Singh Sen; Mahendra Pal Thakur; Neelam Rana; Mohan Lal Gupta of Mahajan Sabha; and Balchand Walia of Ahluwalia Sabha.
During the meeting, youth representatives held detailed discussions on several issues that the forum described as important concerns of the general category. These included the demand for the rollback of what the forum termed the “UGC black law,” a review of the reservation system, repeal of what it described as “dictatorial provisions” of the SC/ST Act, and the restructuring of the General Category Commission.
The participants expressed strong dissatisfaction over what they described as the silence of the Central and Himachal Pradesh governments, major political parties, and political leaders belonging to the general category on these issues. The meeting stressed the need to intensify the ongoing movement at both the state and national levels.
As part of the strategy, the participants unanimously decided to launch an extensive awareness campaign reaching down to the panchayat level. The objective, according to the forum, is to involve a larger section of the general-category population and make the campaign more organized and active across Himachal Pradesh.
The meeting also resolved to constitute special committees in every Assembly constituency. These committees will approach local MLAs, ministers and Members of Parliament belonging to the general category through delegations and seek clear explanations from them regarding their positions on the issues being raised by the forum.
The participants further decided that, if necessary, the campaign would be intensified through demonstrations and protests outside the residences of elected representatives to press for accountability and responses on the concerns raised by the general category.
Another important decision taken during the meeting was to strengthen the women’s wing of the general category organization and increase its participation in the movement.
The meeting also witnessed the formal reorganization of the youth wing. Hari Krishan Thakur, Sudhir Sen, Rakesh Thakur, Hitesh Rathore, Prakash Thakur, Sunil Kumar, Ankur Pandey, Ayush Sharma, Chander Pratap Singh Chandel, Neeraj Thakur, Sunil Sen, Naresh Thakur and Rajender Sen were unanimously selected as senior members of the youth wing.
The forum stated that the strengthened youth organization would play a key role in expanding awareness at the grassroots level and coordinating activities across Assembly constituencies.
