Rajasthan Dalit MLAs re-affirm support to Vasundhara Raje

Jaipur, Sep 4 (UNI) Five of the 26 Dalit MLAs of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) in Rajasthan today reaffirmed support to Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, hailing various measures taken by her government for the welfare of their community.

The legislators, addressing a joint press conference, also condemned the public outbursts by MP Kailash Meghwal and Government Chief Whip Mahavir Prasad Jain against the state government.

Mr Laxminarain Bairwa, Mr Govind Ram Meghwal, Mr Nand Lal Bansiwal, Mr Rakesh Meghwal and K D Babar said, ''Ms Raje is an able leader who has not only taken a number of measures for welfare of the Scheduled Caste(SC) community but also done commendable work for strengthening social harmony and speeding up pace of development in Rajasthan.'' They claimed that community MLAs were happy and satisfied with the ''pro-Dalit agenda'' being implemented by Ms Raje in the state.

Mr Meghwal, Mr Bansiwal and Mr Bairwa said certain BJP leaders, including MP and former state Home Minister Kailash Meghwal and Mr Jain, who were reportedly making statements against the Chief Minister and the state leadership in public were neither concerned about the party nor the cause of the Dalits.

They accused them of pursuing their personal agenda at the cost of the party.

They said while Mr Meghwal had never bothered for the welfare of the community, Mr Jain was trying to gain political mileage by criticising Ms Raje's decision to induct former JD(U) leader Gopal Pacherwal in the BJP.

They said that Mr Pacherwal was inducted in the BJP as an ordinary member and he was no substitution or alternative to any of Dalit leaders, including Mr Meghwal.

However, the legislators were non-committal over initiating disciplinary action against the ''dissidents'', including Mr Meghwal and Mr Jain and said this will be decided by the party.

''We are trying to mobilise support of all 26 Dalit MLAs and planning to launch a statewide campaign through social harmony coordination committees, for highlighting good work done by the Raje Government,'' they said.

UNI