Nishikant Khajuria
JAMMU, Apr 22: As the prevailing stand off between Gujjars and Paharis refuses to end signaling political ramifications in the polls, the ruling National Conference has constituted a high-level committee to refresh its ties with the two communities in Jammu and Kashmir.
Constituted on the instruction of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who is also working president of the National Conference, the committee is headed by the Minister for Finance Abdul Rahim Rather and comprised of senior NC leaders from both the communities, including Minister for Forest Mian Altaf, Chairman of the Advisory Board for the Development of Paharis Kafil-ur-Rehman, former MP Mohd Shafi Uri, Mushtaq Bukhari, Javed Rana and Mirza Rashid.
The panel has been asked to hold grass-root level deliberations with the representatives of both the communities and then submit its report to Omar Abdullah suggesting measures for the Gujjar-Pahari rapprochement, one of the members of the committee informed the Excelsior.
Pertinent to mention here that both Gujjar and Pahari communities are at logger head over the issue of Schedule Tribe status to the latter. Gujjars are tooth and nail opposed to granting ST status to Paharis and in the reaction, the latter is resisting the former’s demand for political reservation in Jammu and Kashmir.
As both the communities have sizeable population in Jammu Kashmir and the capacity to influence prospects of a candidate in the elections on a number of seats, particularly in Poonch, Rajouri, Uri, Karnah, Tral etc, their ongoing animosity is worrying the ruling National Conference of which Gujjars as well as Paharis have remained traditional voters.
Apparently caught in a catch twenty-two position over the issue, the NC is worried that the ongoing standoff between the two communities may deprive the party of Gujjars’ as well as Paharis’ votes in forthcoming State Assembly elections, which are approaching nearer.
According to the sources, the issue came up during recent two-day working committee meeting of the party at Jammu following which Omar Abdullah decided to constitute the high-level committee.
Though Omar has sought report of the committee within one month, it is likely to take more than a month for the detailed deliberations and then suggesting measures for the rapprochement between the two communities, sources added maintaining that the exercise in this regard has begun.
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