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Jammu, May 27 (UNI) Ethnic Muslim tribe of Gujjars in Jammu and Kashmir today announced to launch ''Rail Roko Andolan'' here and disrupt train traffic on Jammu-Delhi route from tomorrow to support Hindu Gujjars in Rajasthan, who are demanding Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

Addressing a press conference here, leaders of tribal community Shah Mohammad and Mohammad Anwar Choudhary said Gujjars here would join the ongoing agitation launched by their counterpart in Rajasthan for their ''just reasonable and genuine cause'' of granting tribal status to them.

''If Gujjars of J&K and Himachal Pradesh can get the tribal status way back in 90's, why were the Rajasthani Gujjars deprived? We are one race, one tribe having same socio-economic, cultural background, so treat us equivalent,'' the leaders said.

Mr Choudhary, president of the Jammu and Kashmir Gujjars United Front (GUF), said the members of the tribe would launch ''Rail Roko Andolan'' and stop rail traffic on Delhi-Jammu track from tomorrow.

''We are also thinking on the idea to stop milk, mutton, vegetables and other commodities supplied by the Gujjars in this state to motivate the Central government to intervene in the matter of granting ST status to Rajasthani Gujjars,'' he said.

Lashing out at the Rajasthan government for the police firing on agitating Gujjars, GUF state secretary Shah Mohammd asked Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje to end ''repression'' against the protesters and talk to them for an amicable solution.

''We the J&K Gujjars strongly condemn the incidents of police firing in which 35 people were killed and over 100 injured in Rajasthan,'' he said.

After the press conference by their leaders, the Gujjars staged a 'dharna' near Jammu Press Club.

The Army has been deployed in Bharatpur, Dausa, Karauli and Sawaimadhopur districts of Rajasthan which are the nerve centres of the Gujjar agitation.

UNI VJ SP CS1852