Excelsior Correspondent
POONCH, Dec 20: Shamsher Hakla Poonchi the prominent Muslim Gujjar leader and intellectual of J&K has urged Government of India to establish Tribal Developmental Council in J&K with the financial and developmental power for welfare of Gujjar and Bakarwals .
He further demanded sanctioning of special package for the permanent settlement of nomadic Gujjar Bakarwals of J&K.
Hakla also demanded sanctioning the special package for providing of basic facilities of life like road communication, electricity, water supply schemes, medical facilities and educational facilities in the areas that are inhabited by Gujjars Bakarwals in J&K.
He appealed the Union Government for including Gojri language in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution of India.
Hakla further said that the Gojri language is being spoken by a very large number population of Gujjars and Bakarwals of Jammu & Kashmir the number of which goes over many lakhs. It in no way could be ignored as their only mother language is Gojri. Therefore inclusion of Gojri language in the 8th Schedule of Constitution of India, is most genuine and justified, he added.
He urged the Union Government to reserve the Assembly segments and Lok Sabha segments in J&K for the Gujjar Bakarwal tribe because of Schedule Tribe status already granted to them by Government of India.
Hakla said that in J&K 31 State Assembly and two Lok Sabha segments are inhabited by Gujjars Bakarwals and they should have been reserved for Gujjar -Bakarwals. But due indifferent attitude of the previous State Governments the Gujjar and Bakarwals stand depraved of political reservation and even after 28 years of ST status granted to them by Government of India.
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