Jammu, May 29 (Scoop News) – UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi today expressed pleasure on inaugurating the prestigious Gurjar centre in Jammu and said that the country is proud of the Gujjar community who have never compromised with their principles and have always discharged their duties in safeguarding the boundaries of the nation from external dangers and in maintaining its internal security.
UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi today inaugurated the prestigious Gurjar Centre for Culture and Heritage at Channi Himmat at an impressive function attended by the prominent members of the Gujjar community associated with the Gurjar Desh Charitable Trust (GDCT) headed by Masud A.Chaudhary
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Union Minister for Health Gulam Nabi Azad, Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Farooq Abdullah, JKPCC Chief Saif-ud-Din Soz, Minister-in-charge of Kashmir Affairs at the Prime Minister’s office, Prithiviraj Chauhan, Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand were present on the occasion.
Sonia Gandhi said that Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru, s Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi had always thought for improving the status of this migratory population and various welfare schemes were launched for the purpose. s Gandhi said that no doubt the community is still underdeveloped yet they have immense courage and determination to face all the odds and emerge out of this plight of backwardness.
The UPA Chairperson said that the tribal communities have also done a commendable job during the wars by safeguarding the borders and also fighting militancy during theses years of turmoil in the state.
She said that the gujjars have been left behind in the field of education and hoped that the GDCT shall come forward to provide quality education including that of science and technology for the youth of the community. She also lauded the role of Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University in providing educational avenues to the people of the state. She congratulated Massod Chaudhary for getting this mega centre completed involving a huge sum of money.
She expressed her concern for providing education and health facilities for the women of the community which is vital for the upliftment and progress of any society. She said that government will extend all possible support for preserving the culture, languages and traditions of these tribes. UPA has launched various schemes for the development of various tribes and development of Gujjar community shall get an impetus through various specific schemes ment for them. Our rich cultural heritage has been protecting us since centuries and gujjars have maintained age old traditions of their culture.
The Chief Minister Omar Abdullah lauded the efforts of the Gurjar Desh Charitable Trust for their endeavors in empowering the community by setting up the Centre for Culture and Heritage Complex which he hoped will become a centre for preserving and promoting Gujjar culture and ethos .He said that Gujjars are an important part of our composite culture and their contribution in various fields is estimable .
Omar also said that that government has decided to reopen all the mobile schools which once were closed due to militancy and make them functional for providing better educational facilities to the community at their doorsteps. He said that educational facilities hold the key to empowering the community and said that the centre should become an active hub of research which will help identify and nurture talent in the state. He hoped that GDCT shall work as a beacon light to take the community out of the darkness of illiteracy and backwardness. He also advocated advanced research for preservation enrichment of Gujjar culture through this mega centre.
Among others, Minister for Finance, Abdul Rahim Rather, Minister for Tourism, Nawang Rigzin Jora, Minister for PHE, Irrigation & Flood Control, Taj Mohi-ud-Din, Minister for Health, Sham Lal Sharma, Minister for Revenue, Raman Bhalla, Minister for R&B, G. M. Saroori, Minister for Medical Education, R. S. Chib, Minister of State for Haj and Auquaf, Aijaz Ahmed Khan, Minister of State for Cooperatives, Manohar Lal, Minister of State for Power, Shabir Khan and Members Parliament, Madan Lal Sharma and Lal Singh were also present on the occasion.
Speaking on the occasion Union Minister for New & Renewable Energy Farooq Abdullah recalled his association with the trust and said that the trust played a pivotal role in providing educational facilities and making all out efforts in preserving the rich culture of the Gujjar Community. He said that this community has suffered a lot due to illiteracy and backwardness, adding that the community has to be brought out to a pedestal where they can enjoy the benefits of development. He enjoined upon the members of the community to unite and make collaborative efforts in bringing about a change in their position.
Union Minister for Health Gulam Nabi Azad said that Gujjar Community with its rich historical past and culture make an essential component of our culture .He said that its is important that we preserve our rich culture and traditions that are known worldwide and Gojri language which is a symbol of Gojri culture must be protected. India has great treasure in the form of various cultures and cross cultural contacts make India a land of composite culture, he added.
While speaking on the occasion, Saif-ud-din Soz said that this mega cultural centre for Gurjars shall definitely work in the long run to change the socio-cultural conditions of the community.
In his welcome address, Masood Choudhary gave a brief resume of the activities being carried out in the GDCT and said that this centre shall strive for improving the social-cultural condition of the community. He also placed on records the contribution made by various personalities including the Chief Minister, Ministers, MP, MLAs and MLCs in making this centre which was once started with a meager amount of Rs.1.10 lakh an till now nearly Rs.5 crore have been spent on it. He disclosed that this Trust consists of trustees from Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan etc and all the trustees are taken into confidence while making decisions.