Hurriyat scuttling our development, say Kashmiri Gujjars

Separatists and Hurriyat leaders scuttle development work for Gujjars in Kashmir and the community lives under constant threat of militants, according to the community leaders who are on a tour here to look for support from their counterparts.
"The separatists and Hurriyat leaders never allow any good or development work for Gujjars in Kashmir to continue to go on," said Ashfaque Rahman Poswal, a leader of the community which has a population of about 1.25 lakh in the state.
"Whenever any good work is initiated in Kashmir, the Hurriyat leaders, separatists and Pakistan-loving people take just two minutes to call bandh across Jammu and Kashmir," added Poswal, who is also national executive member of ST Morcha of BJP.

Illustrating problems faced by the community which mainly inhabits mountainous areas of the state, including near the Line of Control (LoC), he said, "it is the Kashmiri Gujjars who have to face and encounter the terrorists and militants every time in the valley".
He added that due to terrorism, "a large number of Kashmiri Gujjar girls have to remain unwed."
He said, "The Kashmiri Gujjars are always ready to shake hands with separatists and Hurriyat leaders if they come forward for development and welfare of Kashmir shunning the path of violence, terror and militancy."

Poswal called upon the Gujjars of the rest of the country to embrace their Kashmiri counterparts and sought support for the creation of terror-free, safe and secure environment in the militancy-hit state. He particularly invited them to come to Jammu and Kashmir for the purpose of matrimony.

"Our girls in the valley are not safe... The separatists and Hurriyat leaders never allow the Gujjar girls from J&K to come out and participate in matrimony introduction functions being organized in rest parts of the country," he said.
"Around 1 to 1.25 lakhs Gujjars live in Jammu and Kashmir and now need the support, cooperation from the Gujjars of Rajasthan and of other parts of India," Poswal said.