Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 24: Mainta-ining that grant of schedule tribe status was not enough for them, the Gujjars of Jammu and Kashmir today demanded equality, fairness, justice and pressed to end discriminations with their tribe immediately.
These issues were highlighted by the community members in a gathering organized by Tribal Research and Cultural Foundation, here today. The function was held in connection with completion of ’25 year of Reservation’ granted to Gujjars and Bakerwals of J&K under ST status on 19 April 1991 by Government of India.
Presided over by noted Gujjars scholar Dr Javaid Rahi, the programme was attended by a number of tribal dignitaries, scholars and students.
Dr Javaid Rahi, in his presidential address, stated that though ‘Reservation’ has significantly changed the Gujjars and Bakerwal Society since 1991 but a large chunk of tribal population is still reeling under the grip of poverty and backwardness.
He said, optimistically speaking, it is only due to tribal status that the community has recorded considerable progress in all the field of life’. During last 25 years of reservation the J&K Gujjars produced 10 IAS/IPS, around 100 KAS/KPS officers but a lot of efforts are required to boost the community educationally, socially, economically and culturally,” he added.
Though 2 Cabinet Ministers, 10 MLAs/MLCs are representing the community but it requires grass root level socio political empowerment in the system,” the speakers of the programme observed.
The scholars said a large chunk of Gujjars and Bakerwals are still unattended and lagging behind due to extreme poverty, nomadic way of life, illiteracy and difficult geographical habitats. They said a lot of initiatives are required to end the sense of discrimination prevailing among them.
The scholar pleaded that the State Government and civil society should think optimistically towards the issues of tribal development.
Those who spoke on the occasion, includes Dr S S Chouhan, Wali Mohammad, Din Mohammad, Wariz, Mohammad Banya, Shabnum Rafeeq Bajran, Ali Hussain Khatana, Bashir Bajad, Haneef Lodha and others.
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