Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 22: Pleading that the State Government and civil society should think optimistically towards the issues of ‘Reservation’ -the speakers of a programme, today stated that the ‘quota’ granted to Gujjars and Bakerwals of Jammu and Kashmir under Scheduled Tribe category, is the share of communities proportionate to their population in the State and not an aid at the cost of open merit people.
Attended by dignitaries of Schedule Tribe groups, the event was organized by Tribal Research and Cultural Foundation, to discuss ‘Tribal Reservation issues”.
In his presidential address, Dr Javaid Rahi, secretary – Tribal Foundation, stated that there is a dearth of positive mindset towards quota issues. Reservation granted to identified weaker casts, area and tribes in the State or country is based on the share of a community/ area or a caste- proportionate to their population and reserve category people are not snatching the rights of others as assumed by non reserved classes of society, he said.
The other speakers stated that as against 12.9 percent Tribal population, the Gujjars and Bakerwals are getting only ten percent quota in the State jobs, which is below to their share but some anti-reservation groups are trying to snatch the same by creating confusions. They asked the youth to try their luck in private sector or outside country too.
They asserted upon new generation to work vigorously for strengthening of Tribal status and identity but at the same time they were advised not to bank upon reservation or quota only.
Although the Gujjars of Jammu and Kashmir were granted Tribal Status in 1991, they are still backward in all fields of life and this is the duty of our educated generation to lead them towards new heights of developments, they said.
Those who spoke on the occasion included; Dr S S Chouhan, Wariz Mohammad Banya, Shabnum Rafeeq Bajran, Ali Hussain Khatana, Bashir Bajad, Haneef Lodha and others.
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