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COVER FEB 28th 2009

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Analysis

Politics of Gujjar Vote Bank

Gujjars want that their aspirations of recognizing their ethno-lingual and tribal identity with regard to their welfare viz a viz other communities should be because Gujjars though the front runners in each and every struggle have been lagging behind due to the Luke warm approach of major political parties of the State. BY DR. JAVAID RAHI

The recently concluded Assembly elections were important and unique in many respects as compared to the elections held during past six decades in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. During the recently held elections if the people have expressed their confidence and faith in democratic system by their overw-helming participation, the outcome of these elections at the same time has raised certain basic questions which have to be answered carefully.

Among other communities of the State the ‘Scheduled Tribe’ Gujjars participated in these elections with great enthusiasm. A fairly large number of Gujjar candidates tried their luck and impacted elections results in various constituencies including Poonch, Mendhar, Surankote, Rajouri, Darhal, Kalakote, Gulab-garh, Arnas, Nagorta, Inderwal, Kangan,Uri, Kupwara, Baramulla, Karnah, Noorabad and other assembly segments in different ways.

Gujjars constitute more than 20% of the state’s population and out of 87 assembly segments, in 12 segments their population is between 35 to 50%. Out of remaining 75 segments, the Gujjar voter proves decisive in more than 50 segments. That is why various political parties try to woo the Gujjars and get their support by ropping in the prominent community leaders during the election campaign.

National Conference for instance had roped in the most revered Gujjar leader, Mian Bashir Ahmad (Padam Bhushan) for election campaign in some Gujjar domi-nated areas of the State thus succeeding in enhancing the vote percentage. Mian Altaf Ahmad, the younger son of Mian Bashir Ahmed and candidate of National Conference from Kangan constituency, also campaigned for party candidates in a large number of assembly segments across the state of which the outcome was quite encouraging. Among other star campaigners of National Conference were Ch. Javid Rana and Ch.Liaqat Ali who were also party’s candidates from Mehndar and Darhal constituencies. They also succeeded in attracting attention of the voters in various areas of Poonch and Rajouri districts.

The star campaigners of Congress include six time legislator, Ch. Mohammad Aslam, who himself was contesting from Surankote constituency of Poonch district. He did not only record victory for himself but influenced voters through his unblemished carrier and clean image which in overall tally proved very useful and fruitful for Congress in the area.

Surprisingly, the former Chief Minister Gh. Nabi Azad was also benefited when he addressed some election rallies in Gojri language thereby receiving attention of the backward community.

Ch. Aijaz Ahmad Khan , who himself was contesting from Gool-Arnas on party mandate was of great consequence in various segments of Reasi, Doda, Udhampur, Kutha and other parts of J&K. Besides him, Ch. Shah Mohammad and Ab. Rashid Chaudhry and Shah Nawaz Chaudhry also campaigned for Congress candidates in different Assembly constituencies thereby strengthened the vote bank of Congress there.

Other parties including Peoples Democratic Party sans proper stretegy lagged behind in wooing Gujjars to the expected extent. Ch. Nizam-ud-Din (MLC), Master Tasaduq Hussain and Zulfikar Chowdhary who were themselves contesting also campaigned in Gujjar areas. Though Nizam-ud-Din and Zulfikar won Master Tasaduq trailed behind by a razor thin margin. Had the campeign been more hectic he too would have won comfortably.

At the same time, PDP, in order to influence Gujjar voters, fielded a Pahari speaking (Peer) Syed Muzafar Baji of Kalakote, who is considered as a spiritual leader from Ziarat Malangam, Bandipur but it did yield expected dividends.

In recent elections the Gujjar candidates were declared elected from five assembly segments throughout the state which include Surankote (Ch. Mohammad Aslam), Darhal (Zulifkar Chowdhary), Gool-Arnas (Ch. Aijaz Ahmed Khan), Kangan (Mian Altaf Ahmad) and Uri (Ch Taj-Mohi-ud-Din). The Mehndar segment which was won by a Gujjar candidate (Javaid Rana) in 2002 slipped out of his hands with a difference of a few hundred votes while in Rajouri, PDP Candidate Master Tasaduq Hussain trailed behind by a margin of few hundred votes. In Poonch, Gulabgarh, Kupwara and Karnah Gujjar candidates strengthened and widened their base which would prove useful for them as and when next elections are held.

Congress had fielded as many as eight Gujjar candidates in election 2008 and three of them registered their win with a thumping majority. The other Gujjar candidates who failed emerged as the first or second runners-up having increased their vote percentage.

National Conference had granted mandate to three Gujjar candidates out of them one was elected while two lost by a thin majority. PDP had also fielded three candidates from Gujjar community out of whom two won while the third one lost by a thin margin of votes, too.

It is being understood that in the recently concluded state assembly election, no party came up with a significant agenda for the welfare and prosperity of Gujjar community. It is also being felt that the Gujjar vote bank should be consolidated so that the credibility, grandeur and uprightness of this community could be enhanced.

Gujjars want that their aspirations of recognizing their ethno-lingual and tribal identity with regard to their welfare viz a viz other communities should be fulfilled because Gujjars though the front runners in each and every struggle have been lagging behind due to the Luke warm approach of major political parties of the State. It may not be out of context to tell that Gujjars are third largest identity of the State and their participation in elections and there after their winning candidates play key role in government formation and its smooth functioning. But this community feels that their aspirations are not being represented in proper forums. They have unemployment more than that in any other community. They lack the basic facilities of life in many areas. Lakhs of Gujjars are shelter-less nomads looking for a rehabilitations plan.

It has been found that the budgetary allocation for tribal areas is ill utilized. They are not properly represented in the major institutions of the State and they have no access to the resources. The institutions which formulate the plans and policies and are responsible for the implementation are not represented by this community. This feeling of neglect has already been highlighted but till now proper attention is not being paid towards this sorrow state of affairs.

It is being believed that the only solution to the growing unrest among the Gujjars is a proper policy including hounoring their constitutional right of political reservation. This pattern has been adopted by various neighboring states to address peculiar tribal issues and arrying the community along in the national mainstream.

Hopefully, our politicians will be mentally prepared to address the issues like granting political reservation to this down trodden nomadic community in absence of which, the tribal status given to them way back in 1991 would be meaningless.

The author is National Secretary of Tribal Research and Cultural Foundation –an organization working on Gujjars of India and can be mailed at javaidrahi@gmail.com)

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