Gujjars' ST status demand rejected

The BJP seems to have landed in political hot water as far as the question of giving scheduled tribe status for the Gujjar community in Rajasthan is concerned.

While news trickled out that the Jasraj Chopra committee, which had been constituted to look into the matter, had rejected the Gujjar demand, prominent Delhi Gujjar leaders had an explosive meeting with BJP President Rajnath Singh in Delhi.

The Delhi Gujjar leaders like Ramvir Singh Bhiduri met with the BJP president but accused the party of having let down the community.

"We depended on you and your party has let us down" was the message that was conveyed to Singh. In reply, Singh assured the leaders that he would convey the sentiments expressed to Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje.

The summary of the 294-page report submitted by the committee headed by Justice Jasraj Chopra said it would be desirable to provide the benefits to Gujjars in a special package rather than incorporating them in already existing schemes.

The report suggested scrapping of the criteria used so far to include any class of people in the list of scheduled tribes as these have become 'obsolete and outdated.'

It asked the state government to take immediate steps to set up a board to attend to the problems faced by the people living a life of abject poverty in inaccessible and remote areas like ravines, forests and hills where development has not yet reached as these are the places where most of the backward among the Gurjars reside and for whom their community leaders had raised their voice.

The Gurjars had waged a violent campaign across Rajasthan for ST status in May and June this year during which 26 people were killed in police firing and clashes with Meena community members who already enjoy ST status but oppose the same for Gurjars.