J&K Gujjars invites Rahul Gandhi to Tribal Huts

The Gujjars of Jammu and Kashmir today extended an exclusive invitation to Congress general secretary and Lok Sabha MP from Amethi, Mr. Rahul Gandhi to visit State and to stay with them in their tribal huts and nomadic “Dharas”.The community in a letter sent through Tribal Research and Cultural Foundation a premier organization on Gujjars, invited Rahul to be a part of their toughest nomadic life for at least a day and a night.
Giving details about the contents of the letter Dr. Javaid Rahi, National Secretary of Tribal foundation said “to feel the plight and dilemma of our tribal life which is identical to the life of Dalits in India, we urged Rahul to visit us. Dr. Rahi said our tribe is in trouble since last two decades of turmoil. No one visited us till date, he added.
This is another unfortunate part of our life that we-the Muslim Gujjars are living a marginalized and stigmatized life since 1947 in this Muslim majority state, the letter said.
“Our glorious tribal identity is facing a great threat of vanishing and our language-Gojri and Culture is the verge of extinction which needs a last look from you (Rahul)” the letter further revealed.
The letter reminded Rahul that former Prime Ministers of India Mr.Jawahar Lal Nehru, and Smt Indera Gandhi had a strong footing in Gujjars in the state of Jammu and Kashmir but the links were breaked during last few decades which needs immediate revival.
The letter further said that lakhs of nomadic Gujjars in J&K are landless , shalterless and lacking basic education, health , communication facilities and other enmities of life, that’s why they feel alienated and neglected.
According to letter , due to heavy loss of precious lives and properties of Gujjars and Bakerwals during turmoil, and resections on nomadic movement in upper reaches of Himalayan region the Gujjars are facing a devastating impact on tribal life and economy of Gujjars resulting in recurrent declines in tribal migrations in the State of Jammu and Kashmir.
The Scheduled Tribe Muslim Gujjars and Bakerwals which constitute around 20% of total population of State are mostly nomads and are practicing primitive cultural traits and migrating along with their livestock to upper reaches of Himalaya since time immemorial , through seven major tribal migration routes and are presently on upper reaches of Himalayas. It may take them as many as sixty days to reach these meadows. During the summer, they move from one meadow to the other. They generally travel in pairs but sometimes they may go alone or in larger groups. They are accompanied by their dogs, the famous bakarwal dogs, and their pack-animals.
The Foundation said if Mr.Rahul Gandhi wants to visit us like he did on Wednesday the 24th of this month when he once again chose to spend the night at a remote village in district Shravasti in Utter Pardesh sharing meals with the Dalit villagers , we the Gujjars of Jammu and Kashmir are ready to be the host of Mr Gandhi.
We are looking forward to offer him traditional Gujjar foods like “Maki Ki Roti” , Marchi, Makhan, Lassi , Kadan, Kalyadi,Chill,Chityal and others, Dr. Rahi said adding that Gujjars are traditionally vegetarians.