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.
Districts Presidents: Full list
Chander Mohan Gupta (former Mayor) is nominated as BJP Vice-President J&K UT. Ayodhya Gupta is nominated as BJP Secretary J&K UT.
Adv. Purnima Sharma (former Dy. Mayor) is nominated as BJP Spokesperson J&K UT. Parmodh Kapahi is nominated as President of Jammu District. Omi Khajuria is nominated as President of Jammu North District.
Rekha Mahajan is nominated as President of Jammu South District. Sunil Shastri is nominated as President of Jammu Border District. Kashmira Singh is nominated as President of Samba District. Rajeev Sharma is nominated as President of Akhnoor District. 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. Rohit Dubey is nominated as President of Reasi District. Gopal Mahajan is nominated as President of Kathua District. Darshan Singh Thakkar is nominated as President of Pahari Zila (Basohli) District.
BJP announces list of new district presidents in J&K. Check details inside
Arun Gupta is nominated as President of Udhampur District. Rajeshwar Kumar is nominated as President of Ramban District. Vijay Mohan Thakur is nominated as President of Doda District. Chuni Lal Shan is nominated as President of Kishtwar District. Chand Ji Bhat is nominated as President of Kashmir Displaced District.
Nazir Ahmed Ganai is nominated as President of Anantnag District. Zubair Ahmed Ganai is nominated as President of Kulgam District. Mohd. Latief Bhat is nominated as President of Pulwama District. Mohd. Yousuf Bhat is nominated as President of Shopian District. Ashok Bhat is nominated as President of Srinagar District.
Sameer Ahmed Shah is nominated as President of Budgam District. Mohd. Amin Shah is nominated as President of Ganderbal District. G. M. Sofi is nominated as President of Baramulla District. Abdul Rehman Lone is nominated as President of Kupwara District. Naseer Ahmed Lone is nominated as President of Bandipora District.
Prabharis and Seh-Prabharis: Full list
Sunil Sharma, already a BJP General Secretary has been nominated as party in-charge for Kashmir Division. Vibodh Gupta, also a General Secretary has been nominated as in-charge for Jammu Poonch Parliamentary Constituency.
A dalit leader and former Minister, Dr. Devinder Manyal, General Secretary has been nominated as in-charge for Kathua-Udhampur- Doda Parliamentary Constituency.
Jagdish Bhagat, another Scheduled Caste in the list, has made in-charge of the party’s SC cell at the UT level. Ajay Gupta (Pargal) is nominated as in-charge President’s Office, Tour & Programme.
BJP nominates new Prabharis and Seh-Prabharis. Check details inside
Munish Sharma nominated as Prabhari and Amar Singh as Seh-Prabhari of District Kathua. Jangvir Singh is nominated as Prabhari and Inderjeet Sambyal as Seh-Prabhari of District Pahari Zila (Basholi).
Thakur Narayan Singh is nominated as Prabhari and Munish Khajuria as Seh-Prabhari of District Samba. Rajeev Charak is nominated as Prabhari and Vikas Choudhary as Seh-Prabhari of District Jammu.
Sham Lal Sharma is nominated as Prabhari and Vinay Gupta as Seh-Prabhari of District Jammu North. Ayodhya Gupta is nominated as Prabhari and Adv. Dev Raj Sharma as Seh-Prabhari of District Jammu South.
Rajinder Chib is nominated as Prabhari and Sardar H.S.Pummy as Seh-Prabhari of District Jammu Border. Brajeshwar Rana is nominated as Prabhari and Manmohan Singh as Seh-Prabhari of District Akhnoor.
Sanjay Baru is nominated as Prabhari and Mohinder Pal Sudan as Seh-Prabhari of District Nowshera. Jugal Dogra is nominated as Prabhari and Capt. Bal Krishan as Seh-Prabhari of District Rajouri.
Rajinder Gupta is nominated as Prabhari and Gurdeep Singh Khalsa as Seh-Prabhari of District Poonch. Arvind Gupta is nominated as Prabhari and Sardar Pardeep Singh as Seh-Prabhari of District Reasi
Chander Mohan Gupta is nominated as Prabhari and Sheel Magotra as Seh-Prabhari of District Udhampur. Puran Chand is nominated as Prabhari and Pardeep Parihar as Seh-Prabhari of District Ramban
Pawan Sharma is nominated as Prabhari and Rakesh Thakur as Seh-Prabhari of District Doda. Gaje Singh Rana is nominated as Prabhari and Swami Raj as Seh-Prabhari of District Kishtwar
Ajay Bharti (former MLC) is nominated as Prabhari and Hira Lal Bhat as Seh-Prabhari of District Kashmir Displaced.
Sofi Yousuf, is co-in-charge for Kashmir Division. Javid Qadri is nominated as Prabhari of District Anantnag. Adv. Wajahat Hussain is nominated as Prabhari of District Kulgam. Sajad Raina is nominated as Prabhari of District Shopian. Altaf Thakur is nominated as Prabhari of District Pulwama. Dr. Ali Mohd Mir is nominated as Prabhari of District Budgam. Dr. Farida Khan is nominated as Prabhari of District Srinagar
Mushtaq Noorabadi is nominated as Prabhari of District Ganderbal. M.M.War is nominated as Prabhari of District Baramulla. Anwar Khan is nominated as Prabhari of District Kupwara. Arif Raja is nominated as Prabhari of District Bandipora.
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