Gujjars file petition before Tribal Commission

An organisation representing Gujjar and Bakerwal community has filed a petition before National Commission for Schedule Tribes demanding an impartial inquiry into the decrease of tribal population in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir.
"A petition has been filed before Tribal Commission yesterday and we demanded that the Commission should appoint an inquiry into the issue to identify those who are against true enumeration of Gujjars and Bakerwals," Secretary, Tribal Research and Cultural Foundation, Javed Rahi, said today.
"Our population in Poonch and Rajouri districts is above 55 per cent, but due to various reasons we are being shown less in numbers," he alleged.

Rahi further said that on one hand the 2011 census shows a growth of one per cent in tribal population in Jammu and Kashmir in last decade and on other side in Poonch district there is a reduction of four per cent population of Gujjars and Bakerwals.
"We have already written letter to Union Home Minister, Governor of Jammu and Kashmir and Chief Minister besides writing to Registrar General of India and Census Commissioner and have demanded an impartial inquiry to identify the culprits, who are responsible for wrong enumeration of Gujjars and Bakerwals, which fall under Schedule Tribe category," Rahi said.