Mehbooba accuses BJP of driving wedge between Gujjar, Pahari communities in J&K
During his upcoming J&K visit, Union home minister Amit Shah is likely to announce Schedule Tribe (ST) status to the Pahari community. While the Gujjars already enjoy ST status, they are against it being extended to the Pahari community.
Mehbooba Mufti appealed to the people of Pir Panjal region in Jammu, which has the highest population of Gujjar, Bakerwal and Pahari communities, to live in harmony and peace. (Express/File)
Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti has accused the BJP of creating a rift between the Gujjar and Pahari communities in the region. Mufti has appealed to the communities to shun their rivalries and live together.
“Home Minister (Amit Shah) will come and go back. The BJP is here today, it will not be there tomorrow,” Mufti said in her video appeal to the two communities. “But the chasm that it (BJP) is creating between you, the enmity they are creating between you, the vacuum they are creating between you… your religion is one, you are the residents of the same place. First, they pitted Hindus against Muslims and now they want the Gujjars and Paharis to fight with each other”.
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During his upcoming visit to Jammu and Kashmir, Union home minister Amit Shah is likely to announce Schedule Tribe (ST) status to the Pahari community. While the Gujjars already enjoy ST status, they are against it being extended to the Pahari community. The recent nomination of a Gujjar leader to Parliament was also seen as an attempt by the BJP to assuage the Gujjar community before granting ST status to the Pahari community.
Mufti appealed to the people of Pir Panjal region in Jammu, which has the highest population of Gujjar, Bakerwal and Pahari communities, to live in harmony and peace.
“For the last so many days, you know, there have been tensions in the Pir Panjal region. Since there are talks about Scheduled Tribe status for Paharis during the home minister’s visit, a brother (Gujjar) has become an enemy of his brother (Pahari),” Mufti said. “They are sons of the same mother but have become sworn enemies of each other. They have lived together for centuries, they have relations between them but they are being pitted against each other”.
“Dignity, respect and shame are in the hands of Allah and not in the hands of any devil,” she said. “So stop fighting with each other. Live together and don’t let their impure intentions succeed.”
Bashaarat Masood is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express. He has been covering Jammu and Kashmir, especially the conflict-ridden Kashmir valley, for two decades. Bashaarat joined The Indian Express after completing his Masters in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University in Kashmir. He has been writing on politics, conflict and development. Bashaarat was awarded with the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards in 2012 for his stories on the Pathribal fake encounter.
Expertise and Experience
Two Decades of Frontline Reporting: Bashaarat has spent 20 years documenting the evolution of Kashmir, from high-intensity conflict and political shifts to socio-economic development.
Award-Winning Investigative Journalism: He is a recipient of the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award (2012). This honor was bestowed for his reporting on the Pathribal fake encounter, a series of stories that highlighted his ability to handle sensitive human rights and security issues with investigative rigor.
Specialized Beats: His authoritative coverage spans:
Political Transitions: Tracking the shift from statehood to Union Territory, electoral dynamics, and the pulse of local governance.
Security & Conflict: Providing nuanced reporting on counter-insurgency, civil liberties, and the impact of the conflict on the civilian population.
Development: Documenting the infrastructure, healthcare, and educational landscape within the Valley.
Academic Background: He holds a Masters in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University of Kashmir, providing him with a localized academic and professional foundation that is rare in regional reporting. ... Read More
