Chaamb, Aug 25 (KNS): The All India Barwala Sabha organized a grand and impressive function at the border village of Gigrial in the Chhamb sector of Jammu to felicitate its distinguished member and former Deputy Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir, Sh. Tara Chand. The event witnessed an overwhelming presence of hundreds of members from the Scheduled Caste (SC) community, particularly from the Barwala Biradari, who gathered in unity to celebrate the recognition of their leader at the national level.
The gathering was held to mark the recent induction of Sh. Tara Chand into the National Level SC Advisory Council of the All India Congress Committee (AICC), a prestigious body headed by the hon'ble Congress President Sh. Mallikarjun Kharge and leader of Opposition (Loksabha) Rahul Gandhi Ji. Sh Tara Chand is the sole representative from Jammu and Kashmir in the council, a matter of immense pride for the entire SC community of the region.
The function commenced with traditional garlanding and a warm welcome to Tara Chand by the Barwala Biradari members. A ceremonial shawl was also presented to him as a token of respect and appreciation.
In their addresses, various speakers extended heartfelt gratitude to the national leadership of the Indian National Congress, especially Sh. Mallikarjun Kharge Ji and Rahul Gandhi Ji for recognizing the contribution of Tara Chand and uplifting the image of the SC community, particularly the Barwala Biradari. Speakers recalled the historic moment in 1996, when a humble youth from the community, Tara Chand, was given a Congress mandate due to the vision of the then party leadership — a decision that transformed the political landscape for the SC community in J&K.
Special tribute was paid to Smt. Sonia Gandhi, former UPA Chairperson, who appointed Tara Chand as the youngest Speaker of the J&K Legislative Assembly and later as the Deputy Chief Minister in 2008.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp ChannelThe speakers described these achievements as milestones that brought political dignity and empowerment to the marginalized sections of society.
In a show of unity, the entire gathering unanimously pledged to continue their unwavering support to the Congress Party, reaffirming their commitment under the leadership of Tara Chand.
Addressing the gathering, Tara Chand expressed profound gratitude to his Biradari for their consistent support, especially during testing times. He acknowledged the trust reposed in him by the community and the Congress leadership, vowing to continue serving the people with dedication.
"Development and employment for the unemployed youth have always been my top priorities during my tenure in various administrative capacities," Tara Chand stated. He emphasized that before 2004, reservation policies existed only on paper. However, under his leadership and with the support of fellow legislators, the Reservation Act was successfully introduced in the State Legislature, along with the implementation of inter-district recruitment across J&K.
As a result of these historic decisions, hundreds of SC candidates secured employment, with many even appointed as teachers in the Kashmir Valley — a breakthrough in social justice and inclusivity for the marginalized communities of the state.
Those who also spoke on the occasion include Sham Lal Radha President, Capt kalidass, Master Harnam Dass, Mohan Lal, Capt Mohan lal, Kiran Panjalia, Jaggu Ram, Seema Devi, Capt Parkash Chand, Dr kartar Chand, Capt Harbans Lal, Suram Chand, Capt Sansar Chand, Mangesh Panjalia, Capt Ram Dhan, Capt Rashpal Radha, Rohit Kumar and others.