Winter chill could be setting in throughout Jammu and Kashmir, however the political environment is heating up, particularly within the hills of Kashmir, as Gujjars and Bakerwals lead protests in opposition to the Centre’s transfer to grant Scheduled Tribe (ST) standing to Paharis of the troubled land.
Holding placards and elevating slogans like “Markazi sarkar, Hosh mein aao, Hosh mein aao” and “ST standing se chher-chhar, Nahi chalegi, Nahi chalegi”, the protestors took out a rally in areas pre-dominantly inhabited by Gujjars and Bakerwals.
The rally, which began from Kupwara on November 4 underneath the banner of All J&Okay Gujjar-Bakerwal Joint Motion Committee—an amalgam of varied tribal organisations headed by president Haji Mohammad Yousuf within the Union Territory—reached Hill Kaka within the border district of Poonch on Monday—after passing by tribal areas of Baramulla, Srinagar, Pulwama, Ganderbal and Shopian districts.
“From right here, we’ll march in the direction of Poonch,” stated Talib Hussain, chief spokesperson of the Committee. We plan to march by Poonch, Rajouri, Ramban, Reasi and Udhampur districts, with a view to elevate awakening among the many tribal communities, together with Hindu Gaddis and Sippis, in opposition to the Centre’s transfer to incorporate Paharis into the checklist of STs in J&Okay,” he stated, including that the rally will culminate in Lakhanpur of Kathua district, bordering Punjab. Thereafter, the tribals will maintain a public rally in Jammu, which will probably be addressed by numerous outstanding tribal leaders from different elements of the nation, stated Hussain.
Gujjar, Bakerwal, Shina Dard, Gaddi and Sippi are amongst a dozen communities in Jammu and Kashmir who have been declared Scheduled Tribes (ST) by the Centre in 1989 and 1991. Of them, Gujjar, Bakerwal and Shina Dard in J&Okay are Muslims, whereas Gaddi and Sippi are Hindus.
The remaining tribal communities are primarily inhabitants of Ladakh, with little presence in J&Okay. Within the mid-Nineteen Nineties, they got 10 per cent reservation in authorities jobs and admissions to skilled schools. Later, through the current delimitation of Meeting and Lok Sabha constituencies in J&Okay, 9 seats within the 90-member J&Okay Meeting have been reserved for Scs & STs.
With a inhabitants of almost 15 lakh based on the 2011 census, Gujjars and Bakerwals kind the third largest ethnic group after Kashmiris and Dogras throughout J&Okay. They primarily reside within the districts of Rajouri, Poonch, Reasi, Kishtwar, Anantnag, Bandipora, Ganderbal and Kupwara, other than some presence in different elements of the UT.
The difficulty began when different communities residing in districts during which they’re dominant, started calling themselves Paharis, and began demanding the identical reservation advantages for them as properly, on grounds that being neighbours of the Gujjars and Bakerwals, they too confronted the identical hardships in availing amenities for schooling, well being and different fundamental facilities. Their demand gained momentum after the Delimitation Fee really useful reservation of 9 meeting seats for STs within the J&Okay Meeting.
Throughout his first-ever public rally in Rajouri in early October this 12 months, Union Dwelling Minister Amit Shah had introduced that Paharis may also get ST standing in J&Okay, like Gujjars and Bakerwals. Later that very same month, the J&Okay authorities amended its Reservation Guidelines, extending the advantages of 4 per cent reservation in jobs and admissions in skilled schools of the UT to the “Pahari Ethnic Group”, rather than the “Pahari Talking Individuals”. This was adopted by the Nationwide Fee for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) approving inclusion of Paharis within the checklist of STs in J&Okay.
Gujjars and Bakerwals allege that Paharis usually are not a tribe, however a gaggle of over 50 spiritual communities, together with higher castes from each Hindus and Muslims, like Brahmins, Rajputs, Syeds and Mirzas. Their opposition is principally on the premise of apprehensions that the Paharis, being far forward of them in literacy and financial standing, will pocket all of the reservation advantages that have been thus far accessible to them as Sts.
The All J&Okay Gujjar-Bakerwal Coordination Committee has additionally given a name for protests throughout visits by Union Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda in Udhampur district and different locations throughout November 17-18.
Committee convenor Anwar Chowdhary stated in contrast to Gujjars and Bakarwals, who’re all followers of 1 faith and belong to 1 caste, Paharis are a mixture of each Muslims and Hindus, and even embody higher castes from each communities. By together with them within the checklist of STs, the federal government is not directly giving reservation to higher castes, defeating the very objective of uplifting backward tribal communities educationally, socially and economically, he added.
Javed Rahi, founder general-secretary of the Tribal Analysis Basis in J&Okay stated the inclusion of Paharis within the ST checklist will snatch the belated political empowerment of Gujjars and Bakerwals, which is able to come their approach for the primary time by the reservation of 9 seats within the J&Okay Meeting. He added that it’ll additionally open a Pandora’s Field, as higher castes somewhere else might quickly search comparable reservation advantages for themselves, as the whole J&Okay is a hilly territory, making the developmental considerations—on which the Pahadis are being given reservations—comparable throughout all areas.