JK Gujjars for dialogue with Jammu groups to clear doubts

An organisation representing Gujjars in Jammu and Kashmir today suggested a dialogue between the community and various groups, including the Jammu High Court Bar Association (JHBA), which has called for a general strike in the winter capital tomorrow.

Among various issues, the JHBA is demanding clarity from the government on the tribals in the aftermath of a reported directive of the government not to provide police protection for anti-encroachment drives against tribal population without prior approval of the Tribal Affairs Department.

Though, two senior BJP ministers clarified that no such directive was passed in the matter shortly after it came to light early last month, the JHBA included the issue while calling for a strike in the Jammu province tomorrow.

The other issues raised by it are deportation of Rohingyas, handing over the Rassana rape-cum-murder case to the CBI and district status to the Nowshera area of Rajouri district.

Reacting to the strike call by the JHBA, the Tribal Research and Cultural Foundation (TRCF) said the statement that the Gujjar-Bakerwal Community encroach state land in the outskirts of Jammu was obnoxious.

Expressing anguish over growing intolerance towards tribal community, it said lets have a conversation on various issues to resolve doubts emerging among communities lets not think on the communal lines.

The Gujjars and Dogras are brothers living together since centuries and division is against the interest of the communities and the state, it said and asked the JHBA to have a fair view on the issue.

It said the people must understand the nomadic way of life and livelihood broadly based on animal rearing which requires a lot of resources to put in, to run the daily affairs.

"Jammu is traditionally known for tolerance, brotherhood and religious harmony and we appeal elders of majority community for strengthening of these old practices," it said.

The TRCF pleaded that the Forest Right Act-2006 be extended to the state to rehabilitate nomads like other states rehabilitated.