Other States - Madhya Pradesh   

Gujjar agitation sparks protests in M.P.

BHOPAL: The impact of Rajasthan’s Gujjar agitation could be felt in large parts of Madhya Pradesh on Thursday as people observed a bandh in many cities and towns and a large number of protesters came out on the roads to express solidarity with the Gujjar community in Rajasthan demanding Scheduled Tribe status.

Normal life was affected as shops and business establishments remained closed in the Gwalior-Chambal region. There were angry protests even in Ratlam, bordering Rajasthan in western Madhya Pradesh, according to reports received here.

Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister and Bharatiya Janshakti president Uma Bharti was stopped by the Dholpur administration while trying to enter Rajasthan taking the road-route across the Chambal bridge on the Mumbai-Agra national highway. She later sat on a protest dharna on the riverbank on the Madhya Pradesh side. The Morena Collector and Superintendent of Police were present on the spot to monitor the situation.

Morena S.P. Santosh Kumar Singh said there was a partial impact of the bandh in Morena. Vehicular traffic was normal on the Mumbai-Agra road, he added. When contacted, Chambal Range Inspector-General Arvind Kumar told The Hindu that Morena district was partially affected but the maximum impact of the bandh was felt in the Mehgaon area of Bhind district. Yuva Gurjar Sanghursh Morcha organised a protest demonstration at the busy Roshanpura Square in the New Market area here. The protestors burnt effigies of the Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh Chief Ministers and shouted slogans.

At the same venue, there was yet another protest on Thursdayagainst State Agriculture Minister Gopal Bhargava.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Gujjar agitation sparks protests in M.P.
Chauhan’s announcements to be followed up at lower level
Two officials suspended

Copyright © 2008, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu