Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 20: Urging the Union and State Government to protect the socio-political and ethno-cultural individuality of Scheduled Tribe communities of State- the Gujjars and Bakerwals leaders today pleaded to provide identical rights to them which were granted to other ST communities of India.
They said “Government should safeguard our unique identity like other States saved their tribes” while participating in a function organised by Tribal Research and Cultural Foundation-a frontal organisation of marginalised groups, held here on the topic ‘ Tribal Rights in India -an over view of state of J&K State ‘attended by tribal dignitaries.
In his presidential address Dr Javaid Rahi, Secretary, Tribal Foundation stated that the Tribes of J&K State are very less empowered as compared to ST communities of other states in India. He said that there is no special Article / rights/ provisions, mention of tribal groups in our State Constitution.
He said the Indian Constitution gives special rights to Tribal like ‘Political Reservation- under its Article 334, Forest Rights Act -2006, The SC/ST prevention of Atrocities Act -1989, Rehabilitation Act -2013 and Conservation Act -1980 to empower tribal communities. But all these Act are not extended to State of Jammu and Kashmir because of its special status in Indian Constitution under Article 370.
He hoped that new government which created a Tribal Ministry in the State a year ago will initiate steps to strengthen the marginalised tribes by introducing identical Act/provisions in the J&K State. They can implement all these important central Act by extending them to the State of Jammu and Kashmir, through issuance of SROs, he said.
Those who spoke on the occasion included; Dr S S Chouhan, Wariz Mohammad Banya, Shabnum Rafeeq Bajran, Ali Hussain Khatana, Bashir Bajad, Haneef Lodha and others.
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