Gurjars dharna in Delhi, court arrest demanding ST status

New Delhi, Oct 6 (UNI) The Gujjars today held a massive dharna in the Capital city, demanding Scheduled Tribe Status in Rajasthan and dismissal of the Vasundhara Raje Government in the State for its failure to meet its commitment to confer tribal status to Gujjars during the Assembly polls and protect their rights, life and property.

Hundreds of Gurjjars gathered at the Jantar Mantar here, under the banner of Akhil Bhartiya Gujar Sangharsh Samiti, and proceeded to the BJP headquarters here to demand the dismissal of the present state government.

The demonstration was part of the jail bharo andolan by the Gujjar community in Rajasthan against the deliberate targetting of Gurjar leaders and filing of false cases against them.

The demonstrators were led by prominent Gujjar leaders Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, NCP MLA and patron of the Samiti, president of the samiti Sukhbir Singh Jaipuria and president of its Delhi unit Ratan Singh.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Bidhuri said the Gujjar leaders in Rajasthan were being ill-treated after they launched the jail bharo agitation and demanded that special facilities be given to them.

He said nearly five lakh people had courted arrest on the first day of the agitation itself but there was no information about majority of them. Alleging that false cases were being lodged against Gujjar leaders, Mr Bidhuri warned the BJP leadership that if it failed to intervene in the matter, they would intensify the agitation and they would have to pay a heavy price for this blunder in the next Lok Sabha and Assembly polls.

Mr Jaunpuria alleged that a atmosphere of fear prevailed in the state as the official machinery was being used against the community.

He said a massive rally would be held at the capital's Ramlila Maidan on November 3 where Gujjars from all over the country would participate. Several resolutions would also be pased at the rally.

Several Gujjars courted arrest on the issue. Prominent among these were Mr Bidhuri, Mr Sikhbir Singh Jaunpuria, Ex MP Harish Pal, Municipal councillor Mahesh Awana.

UNI