Tribute paid to Shaheed Bhagat Amar Nath Ji on his Shaheedi Diwas

Jammu, 30.05.2020: Today All India Confederation of SC/ST/OBC organizations along with other organizations like All India backward classes federation, OBC Mahasabha J&K, All J&K Gujjar organization, Jammu Muslim front, J&K Christian Sabha, Muslim Development Forum, Shree Vishwakarma library, Dalit Sahitya Akademi, Sikh intellectual circle remembered  Shaheed Bhagat Amarnath Ji on his Shaheedi Diwas at Prajapati Bhawan, Jammu today.

Shaheed Amarnath Ji was born at Champa Botate in 1928 and attained Shaheedi for the cause of vulnerable sections of society by sacrificing his life while sitting on fast unto death on1st June 1970.
The son of the soil, Shaheed Bhagat Amarnath Ji was committed and determined to sacrifice his life for the persecuted, victimized, discriminated, deprived, suppressed, oppressed, exploited, and neglected downtrodden masses. For upliftment and emancipation of the depressed classes, he came to Jammu with an explicit motive, aim, and objective, to secure justice for Dalit samaj.
During 1970s there was a great resentment among Dalit samaj for the denial of reservation right by an unjust and hostile state government. Despite of implementation of reservations for SCs in Central Deptt by Baba Sahib Dr. B. R Ambedkar in the capacity of 1st Law Minister of India, the state govt was still reluctant to implement it in the state. Shaheed Bhagat Amar Nath Ji took a serious and comprehensive note of the malafide intention of the state govt and intensified his non-stop agitation in the entire Jammu province by leading many processions, and demonstrations, public meetings for the expeditious redressal of core issue of reservation. An ultimatum and deadline was given to the state govt to act upon the demands but still none of them were paid heed to. While serving as the President of the Depressed classes league, a memorandum drafted by Shaheed Bhagat Amarnath Ji was submitted to the govt. It included the following demands.
1. Cabinet should have adequate representation of SCs as Cabinet Ministers.
2.Reservation to Scheduled Castes is fixed to only 8% whereas their population is more than 6 Lacs. Their reservation should be enhanced upto 20%.
3. Adequate representation should be given to SCs in each state, province, district recruitment boards
4.Representation of SCs should be given in all the PSCs.
5.No representation is given to Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes in Legislative Councils, Legislative Assembly, Parliament. Thus, due representation should be given to them.
6.Some of the Scheduled Castes were allotted land but that were being driven out of their land via illegal means due to they were becoming susceptible to hand to mouth existence. This should be stopped immediately.
7.Free land, including Shamlat land belonging to government should be immediately allotted to scheduled castes and backward classes.
8.Thousands of educated scheduled castes are unemployed. Govt jobs should be given to them immediately.
9. Scheduled castes and backward class employees should be given Reservation in promotion’s benefits.
10.Their should be representation of scheduled castes in KAS and IAS.
11.Houses to homeless scheduled castes and backward classes to be given in Muncipal Town Area, Notified Area Committee and complete property rights, along with assistance from govt to build houses.
12 Labour laws formulated by Central government to be immediately implemented in J&K.
13.Financial support to Scheduled caste and backward class entrepreneurs via easy loans and credit benefits.
14 Slum dwelling Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes to be rehabilitated to permanent colonies with property rights.
15 Separate Degree Colleges for Scheduled caste students with all the hostel facilities.
16 Graduate and Post Graduate students should be given free coaching for competitive exams like IAS, and preparation for  getting job at National and International levels along with skill development courses.
17 Crash course programmes for matriculate scheduled castes to trained them entrepreneurship, self-employment.

Still no heed was paid to the demands, thus voluntarily, he offered himself for the supreme sacrifice and resolved to observe silence and subsequently sat on fast unto death on 21-05-1970 in Karan park in front of civil secretariat. His health condition deteriorated soon. Despite of the efforts by doctor, the son of the soil Bhagat Amarnath achieved martyrdom on Ist June 1970 and became “Martyr of Reservation”. With his supreme sacrifice, the reservation was implemented in the state. In this way, he wrote the chapter of reservation in J&K with his ultimate sacrifice.

RK Kalsotra, State President Confederation, said that with best efforts the reservation in direct recruitment and promotions in J&K came into force in the year 1970 after his sacrifices.  Therefore, the people of J&K are remembering him by paying tribute. He said that even after his huge sacrifice, the memorandum which he drafted, is still not fully implemented.

Kalsotra said that the biggest tribute that we can pay to such a legend is by being united to support the demands listed in the memorandum. Kalsotra also remembered an excerpt from his will which was a message to the SCs STs and backward classes and it was to stay united and fight for the rights of Dalits and vulnerable sections by adopting non-violent means. Thus, Kalsotra demanded from the masses to support the cause of the confederation so that demands raised by Shaheed Bhagat Amar nath ji could be fulfilled.
Kalsotra also added that there are a lot of issues concerning the SC, ST, and OBCs in J&K. These include implementation of Reservation in promotions, clearance of the backlog of 1.04 lakhs jobs for SC, ST, OBCS, implementation of Mandal Commission Report that guarantees 27% reservation for OBC which is 4% in J&K, rising cases of Caste-based atrocities, lack of implementation of SC/ST Atrocities Act, Lack of disbursement of timely scholarships, among others.
Kalsotra highlighted how the minorities are losing religious rights, religion places is demolishing which is freezing constitutional amendments, caste atrocities is increasing and a hate is creating in the religious sphere. Since Constitution guarantees the Right to Freedom under Article 25, 26, there should be an attempt for all minorities to unite together and present a united front to make sure these rights are available to all.
Others who actively participated paid tribute and addressed were F C Satia, Bansi Lal Choudhary, Ashu Peter Mattoo, Balwant Kataria, Madan Lal Baldotra, S Kulwant Singh, Sardari Lal Bangotra, Rajinder Sikka, Mohd Shabir Sambyal, Des Raj Bhagat, JR Chopra, Jeet Singh Sangotra and Ramesh Kaith