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| Rajouri- Poonch: Gujjars-Pharis a divided lot | | Mian family only hope to bridge the gap’ | |
Rajouri July 1, 2007
Rajouri-Poonch border region of the state of Jammu and Kashmir pre-dominantly inhabited by Muslims is clearly divided between two major sections- Gujjars and Pharies. In fact, the enmity between the two Muslim communities was engineered by the policy makers of India in the year 1990 by enrolling the Gujjar community in the list of Schedule Tribe (ST) communities of the country and leaving other section protesting despite having the same socio economic conditions with that of Gujjars. Since then, this Muslim dominated region got divided in to two sections. And this division was further encouraged by the local politicians of both the communities to meet their political ends.
This division comes openly on floor during the elections. The enmity and hate between the two communities can be gauged with an example that during 2002 assembly elections, the non Gujjar Muslim electorate of Darhal assembly segment of Rajouri district voted to a non- Muslim candidate who posed himself as Phari leader instead of a Gujjar Muslim candidate. It is pertinent to mention here that Darhal assembly segment has not more that 2% non Muslim electorate. But the Pharies of the area voted to a non Muslim Phari instead of a Gujjar Muslim. Similar is the case with the Gujjars, they can raise their voice in favour of Rajasthani Hindu Gujjars but not for Phari Muslims of this region.
Though, having hate and enmity at its extreme between the two communities, there is a political cum religious family of Kashmir (Kangan) that still enjoys the respect from both the communities.
Mian family of Kashmir, (Kangan), known for its religious and spiritual background in the state of Jammu and Kashmir has lakhs of followers in both Gujjars and Pharies of Rajouri and Poonch region. The influence of this family in the region can be gauged with by the fact that every politician of the region always tries to get the blessing of this family before entering the politics. Not only the Gujjar leaders of the region, even some of the Phari leaders reached at top political positions in the state with the internal and external blessing of this family. For instance, Mirza Abdul Rashid former speaker of Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly and Member Parliament despite being a front runner leader of the Phari movement always won against a strong Gujjar leader Talib Hussain with the blessing of the Mian family. Mirza himself admits that despite being a front runner leader of the Phari community, he can’t ignore the Mian family ‘saying that there are still thousands in both the communities who can sacrifice their children over the wish of Mian family’.
However, despite enjoying full respect in both the communities, Mian family seems to have confined its political role within their home constituency Kangan. Observers are of the opinion that by keeping silence over the increasing enmity between the two communities in Rajouri and Poonch, Mian family is not doing justice with their religious duties they had been performing in the region for decades.“ I think, in the present situation only Mian family can play a role of bridge between the two communities because this is the only family in the state which is being respected by both the communities. And this is the religious duty of this family to play a role in this region so that the conspiracies being engineered by some forces among the Muslims in the name of caste , colour and creed are fought back”, says Sardar Pervez Ahmed Khan, a non Gujjar follower of the Mian family. Even small sections of the society who do not believe in Sufiism are also unanimous that only the Mian family can bridge the gap between the two communities. “Though I personally do not believe in Sufiism but still we have lakhs of people here in this region, who have a blind faith in this family and I think this family should play its role to get the Muslims united in this region”, says A S Bhar a known educationist of Rajouri.
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