Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 26: The Bharatiya Gujjar Mahasabha has decided to hold a hunger strike on December 31 in front of the Raj Bhawan here, demanding creation of Tribal Affairs Department in the State for the welfare of the community.
“The 24-hour hunger strike will highlight the problems of Gujjars and Bakerwals, and demand creation of Tribal Affairs Ministry (in Jammu and Kashmir),” the organisation president, Eshfaq-ur-Rahman Poswal, told reporters here today.
Poswal said they had written to the Governor, seeking permission for the hunger strike.
Alleging that funds meant for the tribal communities are being misappropriated, he said they had been neglected by successive Governments since 1991.
Poswal said they had also been demanding political reservation for Gujjars and Bakerwals in the state. “Gujjars and Bakerwals were granted ST status in 1991, but so far they have not been given political reservation,” he said.
Welcoming the recent meeting of the Director Generals of Military Operations (DGMOs) of India and Pakistan, he said border peace would be in the larger interest of the tribal people as majority of them live along the border.
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