POONCH:- 06 February 2022: Shamsher Hakla Poonchi, a Gujjar leader said that the need of hours in the present situation of J&K on becoming a Union Territory (U.T) is to take concrete steps for the welfare and upliftment of the Gujjar Bakarwal tribe of J&K on first priority which in true essence will be the development of J&K.
The Gujjar Bakarwal tribe belonging to the Islam religion has its habitation in 20 (Twenty) districts of J&K and mostly resides in hilly, far-flung, and mountainous areas near forests and on the Indo-Pak LOC and International Border (IB) of J&K with a population of over many lakhs. Most habitation areas of the Gujjar Bakarwals tribe in Jammu and Kashmir lack facilities like road communication, electricity, water supply schemes, medical facilities, and educational facilities which put Gujjar Bakarwal tribe in lots of hardships and troubles.
He said the Gujjars Bakarwals of J&K are divided into three tribes settled, Half Settled, and Unsettle Nomadic. The needs and the Problems, the language and culture of the Gujjar Bakarwal tribe are quite different from other communities of J&K, that is why this tribe has its own peculiar position and it has its own identity customs and unique way of life.
He said that the Half settled and unsettled Nomadic tribes of Gujjar and Bakarwals people along with their belongings, families, and cattle’s goes to the heights of hills and mountains (Dhoks) of J&K as there they can have sufficient grazing fields for their cattle’s/animals. There they live for about six months of the summer season, every year.
He said that the people of unsettled Nomadic tribes of Gujjar Bakarwals are educationally, economically, socially, and politically backward.
Hakla demanded to the Govt. of India to sanction the special package and make the Policy for the Permanent Settlement and upliftment and welfare of unsettled Nomadic people of Gujjar Bakarwal tribe of J&K who have been living unsettled Nomadic life from past to till date.
He also demanded to Govt. of India to sanction a special developmental package for settled people of Gujjar Bakarwal tribe which provides the basic amenities like water supply, electricity, road communication, medical facilities, and educational facilities among the population of Gujjar Bakarwal Tribe inhabited in Twenty (20) districts of J&K U.T.
Hakla urged Govt.Of India to establish a tribal development council in J&K U.T with the financial and developmental power by the Govt. of India for development and welfare of Gujjar Bakarwal (Schedule Tribe) Community.
He demanded the opening of boarding schools in all the districts of J&K on the pattern of Nodya Vidyalaya for Boys and Girls students of the Gujjar Bakarwal ( Schedule Tribe) community.
Hakla said that the Gujjar Bakarwals tribe generally speaks the Gojri language and their mother language is Gojri. He also demanded to Govt. for the inclusion of the Gojri language in the 8th schedule of the Indian constitution but the J&K state govt’s had not recommended it to the govt. of India for the inclusion of the Gojri language in the 8th schedule of the Indian Constitution. That is why the Gojri language of the Gujjar Bakarwals tribe has become a backward language.
Shamsher Hakla Poonch, the prominent Gujjar leader and an intellectual of J&K urged to Union Government of India to establish a Tribal University in J&K U.T for the Schedule Tribe students of J&K.