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Rebel Gujjar leaders challenge agreement

JAIPUR: Gujjar leaders and BJP rebel MLAs, Prahlad Gunjal and Attar Singh Bhadana, on Monday challenged the agreement reached between senior community leader Kirori Singh Bainsla and the Rajasthan Government on Diwali day.

The MLAs, expelled from the party a few months ago for their strident stand on the community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe status, accused Col. Bainsla of becoming a “tool” of the Government.

“Col. Bainsla has no right to speak on behalf of the Gujjar community after hobnobbing with the Government in this manner,” said Mr. Gunjal, who addressed journalists along with Mr. Bhadana and former MLA Gopi Chand Gujjar here, referring to the agreement of last Friday which decided on the Government withdrawing 42 cases filed against Gujjars during the agitation.

“These are just 42 cases and 296 persons involved. There are thousands of cases filed during that period and the number of the victims would be no less than 10,000,” he asserted.

“When Col. Bainsla claims that all the cases filed against Gujjars during the agitation have been withdrawn he is telling a lie. Col. Bainsla is no more with the Gujjars in their agitation,” Mr. Gunjal said.

“Anyway it has not been for the withdrawal of the cases that we have been fighting. The Gujjars want Scheduled Tribe status and will not give up till we get it,” he said reacting to reports in a section of newspapers quoting Col. Bainsla as saying that the agitation was over as the demands had been conceded to.

The rebel leaders also made it clear that the community would not settle with a recommendation from the Justice Jasraj Chopra Committee, which is looking into the demand.

“We have nothing to do with the Justice Chopra Committee. It is an internal matter for the State Government. We want the State Cabinet to forward a letter to Centre recommending ST status to Gujjars,” Mr.Bhadana said.

“We will keep the agitation on irrespective of the conciliatory stance of some of the leaders,” Gopi Chand Gujjar said announcing a “maha padav” in the capital next Sunday.

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