The Hindu : National : We are with them, say J&K Gujjars

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Thursday, May 31, 2007
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We are with them, say J&K Gujjars

Staff Reporter

JAMMU: The Gujjars in Jammu and Kashmir have extended their support to their Rajasthan counterparts, who are waging a struggle for their inclusion in the Scheduled Tribes list.

"We fail to understand why our co-ethnic community in Rajasthan is not being given Scheduled Tribe status. In their hour of need, we are fully behind them in their struggle and would even join them if their demand is not accepted. On every parameter, the Gujjars deserve Scheduled Tribe status," J&K Gujjar United Front Leader Chowdhary Shah Mohammad said.

The Gujjars in Jammu and Kashmir are Muslims. They are ethnically and culturally closer to the Hindu Gujjars as they belong to the same racial stock. They were given tribal status during the tenure of the Chandra Shekhar Government in 1991 after a long-drawn struggle by civil activists and community leaders. The people who supported the demand included intellectuals and other Gujjar leaders who convinced the political leadership the need to bring the community under the umbrella of affirmative action. The community has been the worst sufferers of militancy in the last 17 years due to its consistent struggle against militants.

The Gujjars have now launched a political struggle for reservation of seats in the Assembly. As per the Indian Constitution, tribals are entitled to reservation proportionate to their population of a State. If the provision is applied to the State, which has its own Constitution, a minimum of 11 Assembly segments will have to be reserved for the STs in the present 87-member Assembly.

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