Srinagar: Seeking immediate government intervention, Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party Saturday deplored the alleged hate campaign against Dodhi Gujjars, the traditional milk suppliers, in and around Jammu.
“A complete panic and chaos prevail in the community, which faces boycott and threats in certain pockets of Jammu, RS Pura, Samba and Kathua. This is one of the several planned campaigns launched against the minorities, especially tribal communities, in Jammu region in the recent past”, a party spokesperson said.
The Union government has been making tall claims about Jammu and Kashmir following constitutional mugging but it was now clear that the real rationale remains the saffronisation mission of Sangh Parivar. “The GOI integration project, significantly, has been started on ground with vilification and targeting of a particular community as in rest of the country. It’s time that different communities rise up to this existential threat, which though launched against a particular belief could not be expected to end there if hate campaigns throughout the history are any guide”, he said.
The community supplies nearly 250000 litres of milk and other products every day in various districts of Jammu and have been traditionally involved in the trade. “Today the community members have been targeted and their products boycotted. Under well planned conspiracy rumours were floated that the community members have attended Tablighi Jamaat congregation at Nizamuddin, Delhi as such they were spreading infection among the people”, he said adding that the rumours remained unchecked leading to boycott at several places.
He said that the minorities in recent past have been subjected to a sinister hate campaign in Jammu and unfortunately the administration seems to have turned a deaf ear towards the issue. “When the whole world is battling to contain a deadly pandemic and all communities across the globe are facing the challenges together with some people, having their own axe to grind, are painting an entire community black and portray them as a threat”, the party spokesperson said.
He said that Jammu has always been land of tolerance and it has stood for oneness and unity despite all odds. “This is the right time that the civil society must come forward and stop such divisive elements to succeed in their nefarious designs”, he appealed adding, “It was the time of distress and difficulties and right now all energies must be channelized to fight the virus and forget malicious agenda for some time if not always”.
