Members of the Hattee community in the Trans-Giri region of Himachal Pradesh have expressed their gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for fulfilling their 55-year-long request for Scheduled Tribe status. To celebrate, the community held “thanksgiving” gatherings in approximately 400 villages. During these events, village leaders informed community members about the advantages of having tribal status and cautioned them against the influence of divisive forces.
The Hattee community’s aspirations were realized on August 5 when President Droupadi Murmu approved the (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Third Amendment) Bill 2022, granting them Scheduled Tribe status. The Union Cabinet had sanctioned this tribal status on September 14, 2022. The bill was subsequently passed in the Lok Sabha on December 16, 2022, and in the Rajya Sabha on July 26, 2023.
The positive impact of the tribal status was felt by around 300,000 people across 154 panchayats, encompassing over 400 villages. Their active participation in the celebratory meetings was fueled by immense enthusiasm, particularly among women and youth, marking the end of a peaceful movement that had persisted for more than five decades. Amin Chand Kamal, president of Central Hattee Samiti, stated that the fulfillment of this demand was a significant achievement.
In light of the new status, a budget of Rs 900 crore is set to be allocated for the area’s development. In addition to the village celebrations, the residents gathered signatures to express their thanks to Modi, which they intend to submit online to the Prime Minister’s Office. Furthermore, representatives from Hattee Samiti plan to meet with the leader of the opposition in the state Assembly, former chief minister Jai Ram Thakur, to brief him on the successful outcome of their thanksgiving campaign.
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