In the twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch, the Amarnath land row had seemed to divide people into Hindus and Muslims until last month. Now, as they go to vote, there is a polarisation — but it is on ethno-linguistic lines.

Most of the places in these two border districts have poor road connectivity, skeletal medicare services, abandoned schools, erratic power and water supply, besides ever increasing unemployment. However, on poll eve, all these issues have taken a back seat. The people are divided between Gujjar and non-Gujjar.

With an electorate of over 6.30 lakh, both districts have seven assembly constituencies — Poonch Haveli, Surankote and Mendhar (all Poonch district) and Rajouri, Darhal, Kalaote and Nowshera (all Rajouri district). Except for the Hindu-dominated assembly constituencies of Kalakote and Nowshera in Rajouri district, the other five constituencies in both districts are predominantly Muslim. While 40 to 42 per cent of the total electorate in both districts are Gujjars, Hindus form 20 per cent and the rest are non-Gujjar Muslims including Kashmiris.

The divide between Gujjars and non-Gujjars is an old one. But the present tension has its roots in the Scheduled Tribe status granted to the former by the Centre in 1991. Non-Gujjars, Muslims and Hindus, are demanding the same.

Unwilling to share the benefits of the ST status, the Gujjars oppose the demand. Taking advantage of this feeling of discrimination among non-Gujjars, a Hindu candidate had for the first time got elected from the predominantly Gujjar Darhal constituency in 2002.

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