Mayawti urges the Centre, Raj govt to resolve Gujjar issue

Lucknow, May 29 (UNI) Non-committal on her government's stand on the demands of the Gujjar community, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati today urged the Centre and the Rajasthan government to resolve the volatile issue as the Gujjar agitation was spreading to other parts of the country.

'' I urge the Centre and the Rajasthan government to evolve some middle-path in the wake of the Gujjar agitation which has been raging for a while now,'' she said at a press conference here.

Ms Mayawati said the agitation should be contained through the joint efforts of the Centre and the Rajasthan government as it was causing law and order problems in other states also.

The agitation by the Gujjar community in Rajasthan, which is demanding Scheduled Tribe (ST) status, has been going on since several days and had turned violent. ''Their agitation is now spreading to the neighbouring states and posing serious law and order threat at many places.'' Ms Mayawati issued an appeal to the Gujjar community members in Uttar Pradesh to register their protest in a peaceful manner and not distrupt law and order in the state. She said there were some pockets in the state which were inhabited by Gujjar community members.

She, however, parried a question on whether her Bahujan Samaj Party supported the demands of Gujjars.

The Mulayam Singh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party, however, has extended support to the Gujjars, saying they should be given ST status.

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