Gujjar body files petition against 10 institutions of J&K

An organisation representing Gujjar and Bakerwal tribes has filed a petition before the National Commission for Schedule Tribes in New Delhi against 10 institutions of Jammu and Kashmir accusing them of violating Constitutional guarantees by denying reservation to members of the tribes in recruitment and promotions.
The petition was filed by the Tribal Research and Cultural Foundation (TRCF).
It requests the commission to issue direction to the state for grant of 10 per cent reservation to STs in all the 10 institutions and provide constitutional safeguards to nomadic and tribal communities of Jammu and Kashmir, Secretary of TRCF Javaid Rahi said here today.

The petition states that as per the Constitution of India and laws of the state, the ST communities including Gujjars and Bakerwals are entitled to 10 per cent reservation in recruitment and promotions in all government and autonomous bodies, but these organisations have violated the provisions, he said.
The petition states that since 1991 when ST status was granted to Gujjar-Bakerwals these institutions have filled up thousands of posts at various levels, but no reservation was provided to the reserve categories, especially STs, and the rights of downtrodden communities were suppressed openly.
It claims that there is a negligible representation of the STs, especially Gujjars and Bakerwals, in the 10 organisations.

The petition has also sought to direct the state and Central governments to formulate a uniform policy for the recruitment of STs in J&K across the state in these 10 institutions.