Gujjars and Bakerwals of Jammu and Kashmir today submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding the status of "Primitive Tribal Group" with a separate share under the reserve category.
Javid Rahi, secretary of the Tribal Research and Cultural Foundation, a frontal organisation of Gujjars, said, "The community, through the memorandum pleaded that they should be fortified with more special rights and extra constitutional safeguards in the state."
Rahi said that as per the law, any tribal group whose livelihood is based on primitive agriculture, forest, dairy products a low-value economy are entitled to get 'Primitive Tribal Groups' (PTGs) status with bifurcation of their share in reservation and development.
"So far 85 tribal communities in India have been identified as PGTs from different states and in J-K no group fall in this category," he said.
He said that Gujjars and Bakerwals who constitute 80 per cent of tribal population of Jammu and Kashmir were marginalised among STs and deserves special attention and a fair deal from the Centre and state.
