Chopan Ashfaq
Kashmiri chopan commonly known by “Pohul” forms a specific class of people residing in various areas of Kashmir valley. Abundantly found in the remote rural areas of Kashmir, Chopans contribute to the rich cultural history of Kashmir by serving as shepherds in the villages. Chopan have been rearing the sheep of farmers in the villages over the years. Largely a landless community of people and from the economic perspective a very backward category. Far from the exposure and trends the Kashmiri Chopans till date serve as nomedic in the profession of movement with their livestock to various regional pastures of Kashmir in the summer season. Kashmiri shepherds rare the sheep of farmers under all volatile weather circumstances in these pastures. Thereby are exposed to nature’s extraordinary beauty and medical resources found in these remote higher altitudes. Infact, even today people approach to Chopans in villages for certain medically valuable herbs and foods. Chopans yet form a typical class of Kashmiri society which has its own cultural lifestyle and profession. It is interesting to mention this community has yet the culture of marrying within the community. From the historical viewpoint it is nice to mention the great Kashmi’s historical resource “the valley of Kashmir” by sir Walter Lawrence’s defines Kashmiri chopan as a cheery and an active men who lives a healthy life in the mountains very close to nature. He also describes significance of shepherds in Kashmir. Living in this typical fashion under the deficiency of resources the community failed to gear itself in any race of development, education or politics over the years. There was no commission which could have provided any welfare or reservation for this community as it was provided to many. So a movement in the name of Jammu and Kashmir Chopan welfare association (JKCWA) emerged in the year 1996 with the primary demand of inclusion of Kashmiri Chopans in the scheduled tribe list of J&K and demanded an ensuring of welfare of this backward community. But one feels sorry to describe these demands were never respected by any political power but were rather politicised. The irony is that Chopans till today have no reservations in any field weather education, job or any other social sector.
The politics exploited the basic demand of chopans. So left the misery for 2020 when there is nobody to cure the wounds of community.
A complete justice is to be ensured on the urgent basis in the matter of prolonged ST demand of Kashmir Chopans before the next generation of the community suffer the deprivation of rights or remain victims of unfulfilled promises.
It is noteworthy that former collapsed PDP BJP coalition government was having it as an agenda in their common minimum program to provide ST status to Chopans. But the matter was put in dustbin before the government flopped in an undesirable way. The demand of Kashmi Chopans is not just hallow or unjustifiable
rather it is a case with a strong basis. Here is the support.
1) J&K Legislative assembly has passed a resolution on April 10 , 2000 which was in recommendation of ST status to Chopans.
2) The national commission for denotified , nomedic and semi nomedic tribes has declared kashmiri chopan as a nomedic tribe in India.
3) Ministry of social justice and empowerment enlists Chopans at serial 33 for inclusion of Chopans under ST. Moreover, J&k’s commission for backward classes observes similar in job to that of Gaddi community serving as shepherds in upper Himalayan areas who are already benefited by ST. But the irony is that instead of having this strong legal basis. The Kashmir Chopans till date wait for the justice in their favour.
In the current context it would be good to mention the representative s of Kashmiri Chopans, the JKCWA has not lost all the hope. Infact various groups have met to advisors of former governor of state by handing certain memorundams about the deprivation of genuine rights and demands of backward chopan community and reminded them about the pending case. Recently a big development was seen when in an official order by division commission Kashmir a full fledged meeting was ordered on 21 Jan 2020 in presence of various state administrators under the title of “inclusion of Chopans under ST” . But it is unfortunate to mention the meeting couldn’t happen yet. Concluding with the words that a complete justice is to be ensured on the urgent basis in the matter of prolonged ST demand of Kashmir Chopans before the next generation of the community suffer the deprivation of rights or remain victims of unfulfilled promises.That is in the interest of this socially and economically backward community.
(The author is a PG level student at central University of Kashmir. Views are his own, [email protected])
