The issue, hanging fire since 1967, is being raised again for it is election time

With the approaching State legislative elections in Himachal Pradesh, the issue of inclusion of three-lakh-strong “Hatti Community” in the list of Scheduled Tribes in the State has once again become prominent for all political parties. The community having presence in nine seats of two districts of Shimla and Sirmourhas threatened to boycott the elections if their long-pending demand is notmet. The issue has been hanging fire since 1967 when the Hatti Community residing in the Jaunsar Bawar area of Uttrakhand that share the border with the Sirmour district of Himachal Pradesh were declared tribals but those who remained in Himachal Pradesh were not given the same status and benefits. Consequently, the Jaunsar Bawar area got all the benefit of reservation in jobs and experienced overall development in terms of infrastructure development and education. The region produced a sizeable number of civil servants whereas their counterparts living in the Kamrau, Sangrah and Shillai areas of Himachal Pradesh are still lagging behind in all spheres of life including education and employment. Over the years, the simpleton people of the region have raised the issue time and again and approached all political parties for resolving their genuine demand. Sensing the mood of the people, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur met Union Home Minister Amit Shah to discuss this issue and assured the people that the State Government would complete all the required for malities for getting tribal status to the people of the region. Traditionally, the Hatti region had been a congress stronghold. But, of late, the BJP has made inroads by getting support of the Hatti Community in the Parliamentary elections. In 2009, for the first time, BJP promised to give ST status to the Hattis in its election manifesto and have been doing so in their subsequent manifestos as well. This led to their consolidation of votes in the region. In a rally in Nahan, district headquarter of Sirmour, in 2014, now Union Defence Minister and then the National President of BJP had gone to the extent of announcing the grant of Schedule Tribe status to Hattis. Not lagging behind, in 2016, the then Congress Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh pursued the issue with the Centre advocating for tribal status to the Trans-Giri region and DodraKwar in Rohru. However, the proposal was turned down on the ground that the Ethnography Report was inadequate and asked for a comprehensive Ethnographic study. Himachal Pradesh University conducted a study and fresh report was submitted in March by the BJP Government.

The Hattis inhabit an area between two rivers called ‘Giri’ and ‘Tons’. Tons divides it from the Jaunsar Bawar area of Uttrakhand.The Hattis who lives in the Trans-Giri area in Himachal Pradesh and Jaunsar Bawar in Uttarakhand were once part of the royal estate of Sirmaur until Jaunsar Bawar’s separation in 1815. It is a well-knit community having common culture and way of life. The community derived its name from their tradition of selling homegrown vegetables, crops, meat, wool etc. at small markets called ‘Hatts’ in towns. There is a fairly rigid caste system among the Hattis. The ‘Bhat’ and ‘Khash’ are the upper castes while the ‘Badhois’ are below them. Traditionally, inter-caste marriages are not acceptable. The two clans follow similar culture and traditions and inter-marriages between them are common and acceptable. Generally, during ceremonies, menfolk wear a distinctive headgear. Socially, the Hattis follow a social system of local governance. The community is governed by a traditional council called “Khumbli” which functions like the ‘Khap” panchayats of Haryana and Western Uttar Pradesh.

(The writer is a senior journalist and Chairman, Panwar Group of Institutions, Solan, Himachal Pradesh. The views expressed are personal.)