Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 3 : Prominent Gujjar leader of the State Shamsheer Hakla Poonchi today appealed the Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti to introduce a Bill in the coming Assembly Session for reservation of Assembly segments for Gujjar and Bakerwal community in the State.
Mr. Hakla in a statement here, today said the political reservation was compulsory for the Gujjar -Bakerwal community due to its Scheduled Tribe Status. Mr Hakla said the Gujjar Bakerwal Community was granted Scheduled Tribe status by the Government of India 25 year ago but the State Government had failed to grant them political reservation.
Mr Hakla Poonchi said the Gujjar Bakerwal community is still socially, economically, politically lagging behind and backward.
Mr. Hakla said, the role of Gujjar Bakerwals in defending the national unity and integrity of the State right from Tribal war of 1947 is commendable. At the time of Tribal attacks and during the wars with Pakistan in 1965 and 1971, the Gujjars and Bakerwals defended the county and repulsed enemy attacks by working shoulder to shoulder with Indian Army.
Mr Hakla said that in 1989-90 when militancy was on peak in Jammu and Kashmir Gujjars and Bakarwals performed heroic deeds and took a front against the terrorists. Many of the Gujjars and Bakarwals lost their lives but they stood as a rock for the national cause.
Maintaining that Gujjars are patriots by core, Mr.Hakla said they have also played a great role in countering the proxy war sponsored by Pakistan since 1989 and crushing the militancy in the State at the risk of their lives.
He, while justifying that the Gujjars and Bakarwals be given their due place in the society also appealed them to come forward in taking on militancy to bring peace and harmony in the State.
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