Gujjars, Bakerwals seek special census

Tribune News Service

Jammu, March 5

The Tribal Research and Cultural Foundation, a representative organisation of the Gujjars and Bakerwals, today called for a special census of the tribal communities, including nomadic and semi-nomadic sects living in hilly terrains of the state, to get their exact population ratio.

The demand was raised today during a seminar organised to discuss the issues of the tribal population.

During the seminar, Gujjars and Bakerwals expressed concern over the exclusion of a large chunk of their population in the last Census in view of the tribal migration.

The programme was organised to discuss the issue related to the census and tribal development. It was presided over by noted scholar Javaid Rahi, who is also the president of the Tribal Research and Cultural Foundation, and attended by a number of people from the community, including youth and students.

Rahi, in his presidential address, said the census played a key role in policy formation which ultimately added to the overall development of a tribe or community. He said when the last Census was held in the state in 2011, a large chunk of the tribal community, mainly nomads, had migrated to the upper reaches and had been reportedly left out in all phases of the census.

He appealed to the Union Government to undertake correct enumeration of the tribe. He urged the government to introduce a new column of “Nomadic or Shelterless Category” in the Census Performa.

As per the 2011 Census , the tribal population constituted 11.9 per cent of the total population of the state, he said, adding that the Gujjars were not satisfied with the data released by the Registrar General of India.

The speaker said that in the 2011 Census, around 6 to 8 lakh nomadic, semi-nomadic and shelterless Gujjars and Bakerwals had not been enumerated as the Central Government had made no arrangements to transport/send the enumerators to the upper reaches, where the migratory tribes lived.

“We appeal to the Prime Minister to intervene and direct the Registrar General of India to conduct a special census of the Gujjar and Bakerwal nomads in Jammu and Kashmir and include them in the National Population Register under a special and exclusive programme,” Rahi added.

Those who also spoke during the event included Nazir Wasal, Farooq Trabi, Javaid Bajad, Khadam Kohli, Shierf Chechi, Barkat Dedhadh, Gulzar Bajran and Kallu Gheghi.