By News Agency of Kashmir
Jammu: Gujjars of the state have taken serious exception to a census of their tribe conducted by J&K Pahari Cultural and Welfare Forum (PCWF).
They said that the census has shown the total population of Gujjars in the state as five lakhs only while in an unsuccessful attempt to show that the population of Pahari Speaking people is about 25 lakhs.
In a meeting of the Tribal Research and Cultural Foundation– a national organisation working on Indian Tribes with special focus on Gujjars, national secretary Dr Javaid Rahi expressed his grave concern to the census questioning its veracity.
It was resolved in the meeting that Gujjars of Jammu and Kashmir strongly condemn the disinformation campaign initiated by PCWF.
Dr Rahi suggested different agencies, common people and media not lend ear to the misleading and disinformation campaign of the PCWF.
“Such census will create hatred among the Pahari speaking people and Gujjars of the State,” he said, adding “It would result in confrontation in border belts of the state.”
He, however, urged the Gujjar community to remain calm over grave provocation by the PCWF.
Other speakers while describing the census as politically motivated said that it has been done keeping in view prospective elections.
They said that Gujjars were not against the bonafide rights of any community or group including Pahari speaking people but such type of provocation can trigger confrontation between Gujjars and Pahari speaking people