December 5, 2022
Jammu: Thriving on loud narrative of bringing ‘discriminated’ and ‘defeated’ communities from margins of social neglect to the political mainstream of ‘naya Jammu and Kashmir’, the Bhartiya Janta Party puts up, almost every day, shows of the Gujjar, Bakerwal and Pahari communities at its office and in public meetings to seek endorsement of its non-discriminatory politics and rejection of other parties.
Over the last four years, the Gujjar-Bakerwal and Pahari communities have particularly been seen as adorning the BJP headquarters in Jammu with their vibrant political colours. The party leaders and also a select group of representatives of these communities have never minced words in saying that the National Conference, Peoples Democratic Party and the Congress never gave them importance in the organizational leadership which now they expect from the BJP.
However, as the Gujjar-Bakerwals and Paharis continue to add grace to the BJP headquarters and public spaces, the party has announced two-tiers of new organizational bureaucracy which gives a total miss to these communities and very scant representations to Dalits and Sikhs.
This weekend, the Jammu and Kashmir BJP has carried out massive organizational rejig appointing new districts presidents and prabharis (in-charge) and seh-prabharis (co-incharge) of several districts, wings and departments. Both lists hark heavily on the Brahmins, Rajputs and Mahajans, the BJP’s traditional core constituency.
The Gujjar-Bakerwals and Paharis have been left wanting for attention and assignments even in the areas where they make majority.
Take example of Rajouri and Poonch districts, where Gujjars and Paharis fight it out in the BJP’s backyard but none from the community has got any organizational assignments even as several noted faces from both communities have joined BJP in the recent years.
BJP has three organizational districts in Rajouri in Poonch and each has been assigned to a Brahmin leader. Neena Sharma is nominated as President of Nowshera District. Dinesh Sharma is nominated as President of Rajouri District. Rajesh Kumar is nominated as President of Poonch District.
Interestingly, Brahmins populating Rajouri and Poonch districts have recently been declared as ‘ethnic Paharis’ but they have always been the BJP’s political mainstream. Rajouri and Poonch are the Muslims majority districts (Rajouri over 60% and Poonch over 90%), but BJP didn’t consider a Gujjar or Muslim Pahari to become organizational president in these districts which are also now part of the centrally placed Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha constituency.
In entire Jammu province, BJP has not picked any Muslim leader for organizational responsibility even in the Muslim majority districts of Kishtwar, Ramban, Doda and Reasi. Almost all these districts have been assigned to Brahmin and Rajput leaders.
While in the Kashmir Valley, almost all district presidents are from the Muslim community, but the Gujjars and Paharis have not been given chance even in Baramulla and Kupwara districts where they have significant population.
Of the 20 office bearers including a UT vice president, secretary, spokesperson and presidents of 17 organisational districts for Jammu division, there are nine Brahmins, five Mahajans and three Rajputs. No Gujjar, Pahari or any other Muslim face from Jammu region figures in the list of BJP office bearers at the district level.
Similarly, the BJP appointed 37 office bearers for Jammu provincial level and UT level prabharis (in-charge) of districts, Lok Sabha constituencies and other units including two for displaced Kashmiri Pandits. Among these 37, as many as 28 are from upper castes –eleven Brahmins, twelve Rajputs and seven Mahajans. Few Sikhs and Dalits appear in the list, but there is no Gujjar or Pahari leader or any other from the Muslims community from across Jammu region.
However, the same list also has eleven office bearers for various assignments from Kashmir and all of them, of course, are Muslims.
