Gujjars demand probe into wrong enumeration of STs in Poonch

Alleging "wrong enumeration" of tribal population in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir, the Gujjars and Bakerwals communities today demanded an impartial inquiry headed by a retired judge into the matter.
"There is wrong enumeration of ST population in Poonch district. It is intolerable. There is strong resentment over wrong enumeration of tribal population in the district," secretary of Tribal Research and Cultural Foundation (TRCF), Dr Javaid Rahi told reporters here today.
"Further we have demanding fresh census of Poonch district so that the real figures come out," he said.
According to provisional results of Census 2011 displayed on the website of Registrar General of India under Union Home Ministry, the population of Gujjars/Bakerwals - Schedule Tribes- in the Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir has recorded a decline of around four per cent over the previous census, which is totally "wrong and unjustified", said the Gujjar leader.

Adversely, a growth of 1 per cent tribal population is recorded in J&K's total population in 2011 census and reflected as 11.9 per cent STs in the state as compared to the previous census with 10.9 per cent, Rahi said.
"Our population in Poonch and Rajouri districts is above 55 per cent but due to partiality of the enumerators, we are being shown less in numbers," he added.