Fear of violence led to delay of 'Mahapadav': Gunjal

Kota, Jan 20: The fear of the leaderless Gujjar agitation turning violent forced the All India Gujjar Arakshan Sangharsh Samiti to postpone its proposed 'Mahapadav' by ten days, Samiti co-ordinator and expelled BJP MLA Prahlad Gunjal said today.

Speaking to the sources, he blamed the government for unleashing a reign of terror on the Gujjar leaders forcing them to go underground. ''It is part of a conspiracy by the government to defame the Gujjar community by creating a tension between the administration and the community,'' he added.

Warning the government against viewing the postponement of the agitation as a sign of the community's weakness, he said the state government has got ten more days to recommend to the Centre for the inclusion of the Gujjars in the Sheduled Tribe list and withdraw the cases filed against them. Mr Gunjal said the Gujjars were not in favour of a clash with the government but would not settle for anything less than a reccomendation in favour of their inclusion in the ST list.

He had no communication with any representative of the government regarding the postponement of the proposed 'Mahapadav' on January 21 but had had detailed discussion with BJP MP Vishvendra Singh of Bharatpur, he said. The expelled MLA warned that if the state government did not take a favourable decision on their demand, the Jats would also join the agitation.

UNI