Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 19: Rebuffing an attempt of some particular groups mainly active in Poonch and Rajouri districts and Uri and Karanah tehsils to divide Gujjars and Bakerwals of Jammu and Kashmir on small ethnic lines, the writers of community in a programme organised by Tribal Research and Cultural Foundation (TRCF) here today reacted sharply and made an appeal to tribe to remain united on all fronts to give a befitting reply to disintegrating forces.
The programme was presided over by renowned scholar of community Dr Javaid Rahi and attended by a large number of community intellectuals which was held on the topic “Gujjar-Bakerwal: two names, one tribe”.
Dr Javaid Rahi in his presidential address said that some people in border areas of the State are working to segregate the vibrant Gujjar identity into many parts to get political benefits which is highly intolerable and condemnable. He said that Gujjars and Bakerwals are one tribe popularly known as Gujjars or Gurjars in South Asia.
He added that Gujjars and Bakerwals share same history, culture, language and racial identity. Even all anthropological and genetic studies conducted on Gujjars-Bakerwals says that they are not a separate identities in any ways, he said, adding that some people in border areas of the State are bent upon to segregate the vibrant Gujjar identity into two parts which is condemnable and intolerable.
While speaking, the writers stated that the Bakarwals belong to the same ethnicity stock as the Gujjars and inter-marriages don’t take place among them as they are socially and ethically one.
Recently there were some reports of division between Gujjars-Bakerwals and some non-tribal groups of Poonch and Rajouri are instigating the tribesman to divide Gujjar community into two parts which form third largest group of the State after Kashmiri and Dogras and constitute more than 20 per cent population of total population of Jammu and Kashmir.
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