Pushkar (Ajmer)
Gujjars, whose agitation seeking tribal status had turned violent
last month, demanded Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje's
resignation at the community's national meet here Sunday.
The Maha Panchayat or mass meet was called to finalise the future
course of action on the community's demand for Scheduled Tribe
status that would give them better job and educational
opportunities.
Thousands of Gujjars who came here from all over the country
expressed anger at the way the state government responded to the
agitation.
The agitation from May 29 to June 4 had paralysed Rajasthan for a
week and at least 26 people were killed - many in police firing -
and hundreds injured.
"The chief minister should resign on moral grounds," the resolution
passed in the meeting said.
Speaker after speaker demanded an inquiry into the police firing and
a hike in the compensation for those killed in firing.
"The government has announced a compensation of Rs.500,000 to the
family of each of those killed in firing. It should be increased and
the government should also offer a job to a family member of every
person killed in firing," the resolution said.
Violence ended after Colonel Kirori Lal Bainsla, the head of the
Gujjar Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti that spearheaded the agitation and
the state government arrived at an agreement on June 4.
According to the agreement, a retired high court judge will head a
three-member high-powered committee to look into the Gujjar demand
and report to the state government in three months.
"We will see what the government does in next three months and if
there is no progress from the government side we would be forced to
step up our agitation," said Govind Singh Gujjar, president of the
Rajasthan Yuva Gujjar Mahasabha.
He said a 15-member team was formed that will step up the movement
top press for the demand.
Requesting his brethren not to politicise the issue, Colonel Bainsla
said: "I am ready to do whatever I can for the community.
"I am not here to fight elections and I request others, especially
people from political parties, to let me work for the cause of the
community," he said.
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