Gujjar protest in Rajasthan claims 40 lives; Raje urges PM to consider their Scheduled Tribe status
The minority Gujjar community has intensified its stir against the Rajasthan Government, whose tough stance, has led to a standoff resulting in the loss of at least 40 lives, including that of a policeman, in the violence.
The Gujjars, traditionally farmers on the plains and shepherds in the hills, first pressed their demand last year for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status, which, under Indian law, would benefit them with government jobs and education opportunities.
Apprehensive about being left behind by more upwardly mobile other backward classes (OBC) groups like the Meenas and the Jats, the Gujjars demanded the ST tag and concommitant quota benefits and the ensuing clash between the Gujjar community and the state authorities, resulted in the death of at least 20 people.
At that time, the clash caught the attention of the central government which urged the state government to resolve the matter.
Though the state government promised to look into the matter, yet, it did nothing and hence, the Gujjars, feeling cheated, renewed their demands.
According to Gujjar leader Colonel (retd) Kirori Singh Bainsla, the agitation, which has already claimed over 40 lives so far this year, will continue unless the state government takes definite steps to resolve the issue.
"She (Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje) is a cheat and does not have the guts to show her face to Gujjars. If the government wants the issue to be resolved, then Vasundhara must come to Pilupura (where several innocent Gujjars were gunned down by the police) and talk to me face to face," Bainsla said.
"She (Raje) invited me to the Jaipur secretariat and has now flown to Bayana but achieved nothing for her efforts. Had she come (to Pilupura), held talks and made an announcement in our favour, the agitation might have been resolved," he said.
According to Bainsla, the Gujjars would not settle for anything less than a recommendation letter from the state government to the central government for ST status to them.
"Bring the entire force and kill each of us. But we would protest peacefully and not leave the place until the state government accepts our demands. There would be no compromise," he said.
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