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| Gujjars seek PM’s help to get Forest Rights Act in J&K | | | Early Times Report
Jammu, Nov 8- Seeking intervention of Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh over the issue of extending “Forest Rights Act 2006” to Jammu and Kashmir, the Gujjars of the State today demanded the identical and similar rights on Forests be made available to other scheduled tribe communities in Indian states.
In a detailed 10- page letter addressed to PM, the Tribal Research and Cultural Foundation-a premier organization of Gujjars has stated that in J&K more than 95% of “nomadic Gujjars” are landless, shelter less and deserve dwelling rights on forest lands which they are using as traditional inhabitants since centuries together.
Giving details, Dr. Javaid Rahi, national secretary of Tribal Foundation said “we wrote to PM that the equitable growth of country and state can not be achieved without guaranteeing the legitimate rights to hitherto marginalized and isolated sections of the society mainly the Gujjars. Its urgently needed to empower the nomadic community with the means to determine their own destiny, their livelihood, their own security and above all their dignity and self respect and all these can be achieved only by way of giving them the forest rights in J&K, Rahi added."
The letter further says that ‘we the Gujjars have been protecting forests against mafias, land grabbers but as per laws available, till date protection of forests by any community is illegal here in Jammu and Kashmir which is unjust, bizarre and against tribal rights.
The letter further reads that “systematic exploitation and social and economic abuse” of the tribal Gujjars must end and mobilize their energy towards controlling and protecting natural resources of State including forests.
The letter further says that forests are the home of lakhs of nomadic Gujjars in the state as such they are to be declared as a forest protector by settling them properly and lawfully.
The letter further said that Dogra rulers of the State had granted the Gujjars Forest Rights but later with the establishment of Forest department after 50s the same was snatched by the successive governments
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