Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Aug 4: Alleging that National Conference (NC) has always exploited Gujjars for its petty political interests, People’s Democratic Party said it has a clear vision about solving their problems. The PDP chief spokesperson, Naeem Akhtar, today, castigated the ruling NC for systematically exploiting the disadvantaged section of the society including Gujjars over the last eight decades, for the petty political interests. Addressing a function, to welcome large number of people from Aragam-B Gujjarpati, Bandipora, into the party fold, at the party headquarters here today, Mr Akhtar said social emancipation and educational advancement of Gujjars forms the important constituent of PDP’s core policy. He alleged the systematic neglect, which the community faced over the years due to the exploitative politics of the NC, has pushed them to the wall and the PDP has a clear vision about solving their problems. He said NC has always used Gujjars as its bank and audience for its public meetings and did nothing concrete in return for their social and educational upliftmnet.
Mr Akhtar said the Gujjars are an important section of the society but, unfortunately, the benefits of development have not reached them till now, as the NC has never allowed it to happen.
The community needs a focussed and composite development plan to ensure progress and respectable life, he added. He said even though the community had traditionally supported and voted for NC, but all key welfare majors, benefiting the community were taken when NC was out of power. He said the tribal status to the community was granted by Janata Dal-led Government in 1991 and the NC and Congress were not in power then.
Similarly, mega projects like the Mughal Road and the Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University, which are of special significances for Poonch and Rajouri regions having larger concentration of Gujjars, were initiated by the Mufti Mohammad Sayeed-led Government.
In contrast to this, he said the present Government has failed to construct the model schools sanctioned by the Centre for tribal students at every district headquarter. Similar is the fate of Gujjar Bakerwal hostels which are in a mess and the special scholarship schemes offered by the Centre to tribal students, Mr Akhtar said. He stressed on the need of improving their educational and health care facilities and said the PDP, once voted to power, will revamp existing schemes formulated for their welfare, so that the community will get empowered enough to lead a decent life.
PDP will ensure that the benefits of even every Centrally sponsored scheme reaches to them which so far, has not been happening, Mr Akhtar said.
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