Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, May 15: Police today foiled the protest march of the Gujjars to Civil Secretariat and arrested hundreds of them.
Amid slogans, hundreds of Gujjars across the Valley assembled at Lal Chowk under the chairmanship of Eshfaq-ul-Rehman Poswal, president, Bhartiya Gujjar Mahasabha.
Addressing the gathering, Eshfaq-ul-Rehman said that during his visit to various Gujjar and Bakarwal dominated areas of Kashmir, he had seen that all these areas have been neglected in every aspect such as electricity, water supply, horticulture, agriculture, education and employment.
Poswal said that the delegates of Bhartiya Gujjar Mahasabha met with President of India during his last visit at Srinagar, who in response to the meeting addressed a letter to J&K Governmentt for early redressal of the demands of the Gujjar Bakarwal community of J&K on priority. But till date, State Government has not taken any concnrete step in this regards, he alleged.
“If State Government will not redress the plights of the Gujjar Bakarwal community, then Bhartiya Gujjar Mahasabha will start march towards Janter Manter in New Delhi. He also demanded for creation of Ministry of Tribal Affairs in J&K, implementation of tribal sub plan, upgrading of school in Gujjar-Bakarwal dominated areas, jobs in various sector and mass recruitment in military and para military forces.
Later, Gujjars started marching towards Civil Secretariat in the shape of rally, but heavy deployment of the police restricted them and arrested many of them.
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