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New ultimatum on ST status by Gujjar leaders in Rajasthan

JAIPUR: Egged on by radical elements within the community, Gujjar leaders on Thursday hardened their position on the report of the Justice Jas Raj Chopra Committee, asking the Rajasthan Government to go for a rethink on its decision not to send a recommendatory letter to the Centre. They have given the Government two days to act.

The Gujjar groups, led by Kirori Singh Bainsla, also issued a diktat to the community that all its elected representatives who are holding official positions, starting from sarpanch to minister in the Vasundhara Raje Cabinet, step down immediately in protest. He threatened a boycott of those who do not obey the “community’s dictum”.

“Those who defy this order would not be allowed to enter the villages,” said Col. Bainsla.

The community has also announced a “Rashtriya Mahapadav” at Bayana in Bharatpur district on January 13, ahead of the January 21 “siege” in Jaipur announced by the rebel Gujjar group led by the expelled BJP MLA Prahlad Gunjal.

“The State Government has to forward the report with a recommendation, and simply forwarding the Justice Chopra report is not enough. By this the State is only passing the buck to the Centre,” said Col. Bainsla. He asked both the BJP and the Congress to make their stand clear on the community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe status.

“The Justice Chopra Committee did not also say that Gujjars should not be given reservation,” he noted.

Col. Bainsla, who is facing criticism from his community for “reposing too much faith” in the Chief Minister, said she had promised to send a recommendation letter irrespective of the content of the Committee’s report. “It is a breach of trust,” he charged.

Col. Bainsla alleged that the summary findings of the report made public so far were virtually dictated by the Government.

On the other hand, Ramdas Agarwal, BJP’s national treasurer and chairman of the high-level committee appointed to work out modalities for a special package to Gujjars, said it was for the Centre to act.

“This is what all the State can give. We cannot do anything more,” he said blaming past Congress governments in the State for not following up on a previous recommendation on two caste groups for ST status.

“There is no reason for any conflict,” Mr. Agarwal said referring to the tension brewing over the refusal on the recommendatory letter. “The committee headed by me will present its report before the Budget session. The committee, in fact, is the next best thing—after denial of ST status—that could have happened for Gujjars,” he said.

“The criteria laid down for eligibility in the ST category are outdated. Things have not been any better after the recommendations of the Lokur Committee as well,” said Mr. Agarwal, who quoted from the National Tribal Policy issued in July 2006. He accused successive Congress governments in the State for doing nothing on the Gujjars demand for inclusion in the ST list in the past.

“I am not trying to start a controversy but the Congress governments did not respond to two letters sent by the National Democratic Alliance Government on claims for ST status. The Congress leaders cannot talk about Rajasthan Government committing a breach of trust. In fact, they are to be blamed for breach of trust,” he charged.

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