Separate Gurjar front formed to fight for ST status

Pushkar, June 8 (UNI) Gujjar Panchayat today formed a separate front, 'Sanyukt Gujjar Aarakshan Sangharsh Morcha (SGASM), to spearhead their agitation for ST status and other matters regarding the demand.

Gujjar Mahapanchayat, which met here today, decided on a 21- member panel, which will also include Gujjar legislators, to decide on any issue regarding reservation, for the community.

Govind Singh Gujjar, Congress legislator from Nasirabad in Ajmer and senior community leader has been made the co-ordinator of the front.

Apart from demanding Rs 10 lakh as compensation for those killed during the week-long agitation, the Mahapanchayat also called for removal of Meena officials from places like Kota, Bayana, Bharatpur and Sawai Madhopur-- all flashpoints of the protest.

Criticising the state government for arresting Gujjar youths and lodging cases against them, the community leaders said the deal has been one-sided but Col Kirori Singh Bainsla had to sign it under pressure.

The Gujjar Panchayats from all over the country will meet again here on June 24 to decide on future strategy.

UNI