The Hindu : National : Recommend ST status for Gujjars, Rajasthan Govt. told

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Sunday, Nov 11, 2007
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Recommend ST status for Gujjars, Rajasthan Govt. told

Staff Reporter

“Acceptance of five demands a major victory”

Ramvir Singh Bidhuri addresses rally
“Hope State Govt. would avoid confrontation”

NEW DELHI: The chief patron of the All-India Gujjar Sangharsh Samiti, Delhi MLA Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, on Saturday described the Rajasthan Government’s decision to concede five of the six demands put forth at the November 3 Gujjar rally in Ramlila Grounds here as a “major victory for the community”.

Statement

In a statement here, Mr. Bidhuri claimed that the show of strength and unity put up by the community and its leaders during the massive rally in Delhi were the primary reason why the BJP Government in Rajasthan had yielded their demands.

Mr. Bidhuri said five of the major demands conceded by the Government include payment of Rs.5 lakh each to the families of the 30 people who had died during the Gujjar agitation; a government job for one person from the family of each of those killed; compensation between Rs.10,000 to Rs.1 lakh to those injured in the agitation and footing of their treatment expenses by the Vasundra Raje Scindia Government; withdrawal of cases against the Gujjar leaders and their community members registered during and after the agitation; and a judicial inquiry to look into the police firing that left around two dozen people dead.

One-man committee

The Rajasthan Government, he said, had informed the Gujjar leaders that on the demand for Scheduled Tribe status to the Gujjar leaders the one-man committee headed by Justice Jasraj Chopra was doing its job and the report was expected on time.

However, Mr. Bidhuri warned the Rajasthan Government that it should send the recommendation for granting Scheduled Tribe status to the Gujjars to the Union Government before December 15.

Failing this, he said, the community would be forced to launch a nation-wide agitation once again.

He hoped that the State Government would avoid any further confrontation on the issue and send its recommendation before the deadline.

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