Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 6: Maintaining that people’s representatives, tribal groups and officials must have awareness on Constitutional rights granted to Scheduled Tribes in Jammu and Kashmir through various orders issued after August 5, 2020, said Tribal Research, Dr Javaid Rahi in a program organized by Tribal Research and Cultural Foundation here today to aware people about new laws.
He in his presidential address stated that awareness among masses about new laws are imperative as it would half the problems being faced by Tribal especially Gujjars and Bakerwals who are at the bottom in terms of literacy rate . He said a big chunk of Gujjar, Bakerwal tribals don’t know much about new laws and schemes launched by the Government from time to time for their betterment and there is an urgent need to guide them properly.
Rahi stressed upon community elders, poets, writers, tribal leaders to start awareness programmes among tribes so that tribal should know their rights as ST group. He said the educated tribal youth should come forward to guide their people about Forest Right Act-2006, Conservation of Forest Act 1980, SC/ST Atrocities Act 1989, Delimitation Orders, Schemes of Tribal Affairs Department for Tribes and other schemes . He said only education can change the fate and future and end all sought of discrimination and injustice being faced by the community due to illiteracy and poverty.
He said that extreme poverty, rough and tough life, early marriage system and nomadic traditions are also causing dark shadows over the education of lakhs of nomadic Gujjar and Bakerwal children residing in the most backward, hilly and border areas of Jammu & Kashmir.
Rahi said that this is a matter of grave concern that every 7 out of 10 Gujjars and and Bakerwals of Jammu and Kashmir are illiterate as per census data 2011 added that the condition of women of these tribal groups are worst with 82.2% illiteracy as revealed in data released by Registrar General of India in the census report.
Follow our WhatsApp channel