Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 18: Shamsher Hakla Poonchi, a prominent Gujjar leader and an intellectual of the State today criticised the successive State Governments for their failure in granting the political reservations to Gujjars and Bakerwals of the State in the light of Scheduled Tribe status granted to the community by the Government of India way back in 1991.
Highlighting the problems of the Gujjars and Bakerwals in the State, Hakla in a statement here, today said that the community is still politically, socially, economically and educationally backward hence granting of political reservations to it is the need of the hour for its overall welfare and betterment.
He said though the community was granted ST status by GoI 26 years ago, the successive State Governments deprived it of political reservations till date.
Hakla said that the problems and needs of Gujjar Bakerwals are quite different from other communities of J&K State. Their language and culture is also different than those of other communities that is why the community has its peculiar position and a distinct identity.
He said the community mostly resides in hilly, far-flung and mountainous areas near forests and on the LoC of Indo-Pak. It has its habitation in 20 districts of the State. Their areas are lacking in facilities like road communication, electricity, water supply schemes, medical facilities and educational facilities which put them in lot of hardships and troubles which has led to its constant backwardness, he added.
Hakla said that there are 31 Assembly segments and two Lok Sabha segments in the State which are inhabited by Gujjar Bakerwal and some segments must have been reserved for the community which was not done till date due to indifferent attitude of the State Government.
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