Excelsior Correspondent
POONCH, Nov 27: Sham-sher Hakla Poonchi prominent Gujjar leader and intellectual of the State has urged to the Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti to nominate one member of the State Women Commission belonging to Gujjar Bakarwal community. He also appealed CM to nominate Gujjar Bakarwal women as a member of Legislative Council.
In a statement issued here today, he said the problems and needs of Gujjar Bakarwal women are quite different from other communities. Language and culture of Gujjar community is also different than them and that is the reason the community has its own unique position as it represents a unique culture and a distinct identity.
He said Government of India on April 19 in 1991 while recognizing the backwardness of Gujjar Bakarwal community of the State declared it as Scheduled Tribe. The President of India granted Scheduled Tribe status by way of ordinance no, 3 of 1991 under article 342 of the Indian Constitution to them. The laps of over 25 years since their grant of Schedule Tribe status the State Government could not implement it in letter and spirit to give full benefit of Schedule Tribe status to the community . It would be appropriate to mention here that all the efforts made by Central Govt. for the development of Gujjar and Bakarwal community of the State, have been deliberately obstructed by the State Govt. for the past many decades which resulted in their utter political, social, economical and educational backwardness.
Hakla said the literacy rate among Gujjar and Bakarwal women is very low and concerted efforts need to be taken in this regard by the government. He said the Beti-Bachao and Bati Padhao slogan of Prime Minister Narendra Modi be implemented in letter and spirit in Gujjar and Bakarwal Bastis as even after 70 years of independence majority of the women folk among the community have been deprived of this facility due to lack of proper arrangements of schooling in their localities.
Hakla demanded opening of boarding schools for Gujjar -Bakarwals girls in the State.
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