The Hindu : Front Page : Gujjar meeting seeks Raje’s resignation

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Monday, Jun 25, 2007
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Gujjar meeting seeks Raje’s resignation

Special Correspondent

JAIPUR: A Gujjar “mahapanchayat,” held in Pushkar in Ajmer district of Rajasthan on Sunday, sought the resignation of Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje on moral grounds for the death of 24 persons in police firing during the community’s recent agitation for Scheduled Tribe status.

“If the central leadership of the Bharatiya Janata Party fails to read the writing on the wall and does not act and refuses to respond to our demand it would have to pay a heavy price,” a resolution said.

The resolution came at the end of a five-hour public meeting. The “mahapanchayat” was attended by thousands of Gujjars from all over north India, amidst drizzle, which soaked the celebrated kartik mela grounds.

The resolution had demands such as government jobs to the kin of those killed and a judicial probe into the police firing.

Sachin Pilot present

All senior leaders of the All-India Gujjar Arakshan Sangarsh Samiti (Gujjar reservation struggle committee) and the Gujjar Arakshan Samyukt Sangarsh Morcha, including Kirori Bainsla and Roop Singh, were present. Sukhbir Singh Jaunpura read out the resolution. Congress MP from Dausa Sachin Pilot was also present.

The meeting was a follow up of a meeting, which formed a Gujjar Arakshan Samyukt Morcha on June 8 in Pushkar with Congress leader and MLA Govind Singh Gujjar as president.

Col. Bainsla, who led the recent agitation, was hailed as the “undisputed” leader of the community at the Sunday meeting.

Initially, the community’s agreement with the State Government was hailed but the later speeches were critical.

BJP MLAs Prahlad Gunjal and Attar Singh Bhadana, who were suspended a fortnight ago for taking part in a rally by the community near Kota, were present at the Sunday’s meeting.

The meeting announced two rallies before the three-month deadline given by the State Government for a decision on the demand by the community ends.

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