Delegation of Gujjar, Bakkerwal communities meets BJP chief Amit Shah, urge development programme

 A delegation of Bhartiya Gujjar Mahasabha (BGM) on Monday met BJP president Amit Shah and asked him to chalk out a programme for development of Gujjar and Bakkerwal communities and include it in its manifesto for the upcoming Assembly polls.

The delegation, led by BGM JK chief Eshfaq-ur-Rehman Poswal, called on the BJP president and demanded a suitable place for the two community in the party's manifesto. Poswal told Shah that Gujjars and Bakkerwals form a major chunk of the state's population but still they are being "neglected by successive governments".

"Gujjars, Bakkerwals constitute about 25% of the total population of the state, with most of them residing along border areas of the state," Poswal told Shah. He said that youth of these communities are the worst affected as far as unemployment is concerned.

"BJP should chalk out and give a road map in its manifesto so that the problems of the communities like unemployment, lack of education and development etc are addressed," Poswal demanded from Shah.