Months before the Assembly polls in Himachal Pradesh, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs has proposed granting Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to the people from the Trans-Giri region of Sirmaur district in the state.
The proposal, currently in its final stages, will soon be submitted to the Union Cabinet for approval.
“This has been a long-standing demand in the area. While many Scheduled Caste (SC) communities reside here, the request primarily comes from upper caste communities such as Rajputs and Brahmins,” a source revealed. “If this status is granted, all communities in the region will benefit from ST status.”
The initial request was made in 1969-70, shortly after the neighboring Jaunsar Bawar area of Uttarakhand received a similar status.
“Both Jaunsar and Simrauli communities were part of the Simrauli kingdom, hence sharing common customs, language, and attire,” the source explained. “Families are divided between the two regions – some relatives have ST status in Uttarakhand, while those on the Himachal side do not.”
Government sources indicated that once the Cabinet approves the proposal, it will either be presented in Parliament or an ordinance may be considered.
Despite persistent demands, the Centre has consistently denied tribal status for the region. Earlier this year, the Tribal Affairs Ministry responded to Mandi MP Pratibha Singh stating that granting tribal status was not possible due to lack of criteria. The state government has been advocating for tribal status for the region since 2016.
The Hattee community in Sirmaur district has been the most vocal about this issue. Among the five Assembly constituencies in Sirmaur, four have expressed support for the demand.
Two of these constituencies with Hattee representation are aligned with the ruling party, while the other two have elected representatives from the opposition Congress.
In these four constituencies, there are 144 gram panchayats and a population of 3.5 lakh residents. BJP sources believe that the tribal status, which is of great importance to the communities in Sirmaur, will likely benefit the ruling party in the elections and help secure the two Hattee-dominated Assembly seats won by Congress in the last elections.
