Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 25: Tribal Research and Cultural Foundation (TRCF) appealed the tribe to remain united on all fronts and give a befitting reply to disintegrating forces.
Dr Javaid Rahi, secretary of TRCF while addressing a meeting of community members here stated that some people in border areas of the State are bent upon to segregate the vibrant Gujjar identity into two parts which is highly condemnable and deeply intolerable.
He said that Gujjars and Bakerwals are one tribe popularly known as Gujjars or Gurjars in South Asia.
Dr Rahi stated that in 1991 the Gujjars-Bakerwals are granted tribal status in J&K and a study was conducted by Union Government of India before granting the Scheduled Tribe Status to them. The study reveals that Bakerwal is another name of Gujjars entered in revenue records that’s why both the names (Gujjars and Bakerwals) were included while the community was enlisted in tribal category in Indian constitutions.
The division created by some anti Gujjar forces among Gujjars-Bakerwals is irrational, illogical and unjustified, he added.
He informed that recently there were some reports of division between Gujjars-Bakerwals and some non tribal groups of Poonch and Rajouri are instigating a wrong war to divide Gujjar community which forms third largest group of the State after Kashmiri and Dogras and constitute more than 20 per cent population of total population of J&K.
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