1.6 lakh to benefit as HP notifies ST status for Hattees

Shimla, January 1

Fulfilling a long-pending demand of the residents of Trans Giri belt in Sirmaur district, the Himachal Pradesh Government today issued a notification granting Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to the Hattee community.

About 1.6 lakh Hattees residing in 95 villages of 58 panchayats spread across the four Assembly segments of Shillai, Renukaji, Pachhad and Paonta Sahib in Sirmaur district stand to benefit from the order. The SC community has been, as per their demand, excluded from the notification.

“Our government had assured that we will issue the notification within 24 hours of receiving clarification from the Centre on excluding the local SC community from the ambit of the decision. We did it immediately as the clarification from the Centre was received on December 30 and yesterday it was a holiday,” said Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu while making the announcement.

This has paved the way for the Hattee community to be entitled for reservation in educational institutions and government jobs. It was on September 14, 2022, that the Union Cabinet had approved the grant of ST status to the Hattees. CM Sukhu said the law department had raised objections, following which a clarification was sought from the Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs regarding exclusion of the Scheduled Caste (SC) community. He said it was in September 2022 that the Himachal government had sought clarification from the Centre and had even sent several reminders.

The Congress and the BJP have been engaged in a political slugfest to stake claim for the grant of ST status to the Hattee community, which was a major issue in the Assembly polls as well. The Hattees had been demanding ST status since 1967 when the people of adjoining areas of Jaunsar Bawar, now in Uttarakhand, were given this benefit. As per the notification issued by Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Hattee refers to permanent residents of the Trans Giri area of Sirmaur district.

Long-pending demand met

• 1967: Demand first raised in Sirmaur as the people of adjoining Jaunsar Bawar (now in Uttarakhand) granted ST status
• Sept 14, 2022: Union Cabinet approves ST status for Hattees
• Dec: Lok Sabha clears related Bill
• July 2023: Bill clears RS hurdle
• Dec 30: The Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs issues notification on excluding the Hattee SC community from ST ambit
• Jan 1, 2024: Himachal Pradesh Govt finally notifies ST status