NEW DELHI: The Samajwadi Party on Friday condemned the police action in Rajasthan and extended support to the demand of the Gujjar community for Scheduled Tribe status.

Addressing presspersons here, party general secretary Amar Singh said, "We strongly condemn the police lathicharge on the unarmed Gujjar agitationists in Rajasthan. We wholeheartedly support their demand for ST status." He charged the BJP and Congress party with playing with the sentiments of the people, whose agitation was threatening to spread to Uttar Pradesh and Delhi.

Mr. Singh said the Congress party had not approached them for their support for the Presidential candidate, but the party would back any Left-proposed candidate supported by the Congress. "No party has sought our support. The only party leader we are in touch with is the CPI(M) and its leader Prakash Karat."

Ruling out the possibility of supporting senior BJP leader Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, Mr. Singh retorted, "If I am talking to the CPI(M), how can I be holding talks with the BJP."

Mr. Singh said his party president Mulayam Singh, Telugu Desam Party chief N. Chandrababu Naidu, All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) chief Jayalalithaa, Indian National Lok Dal president Om Prakash Chauthala and Asom Gana Parishad president Birindaban Goswami would meet in Hyderabad on June 6 to finalise a common strategy on the issue. "We will chalk out our strategy as an independent entity."

To a question on Ms. Jayalalithaa holding talks with the BJP, he said she had already made it clear to them that she was not going to decide anything on her own on the matter.

Mr. Singh declined to comment on a U.P. revenue court cancelling the transfer of a farm land to actor Amitabh Bachchan, saying he had not been authorised to do so.

On the question of the U.P. Government downsizing his security, which he has challenged in court, Mr. Singh said he had never sought security from the Government. It was provided to him on the basis of a confidential police report to the State Government.

Answering a question on the Mayawati Government recommending CBI probe into the NOIDA land allotment, he asked, "CBI probe into what? The then Chief Minister had suo motu cancelled the allotments after allegations were made about the incorrect lottery and had appointed an independent Commission of Inquiry into it."

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