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June 1, 2008
Meenas Distance
Themselves from Gujjar Agitation, Oppose Reservation
By Sahil Makkar
Bayana (Rajasthan)
Unlike last year when the Meena community of Rajasthan had
vehemently opposed and clashed with the Gujjars over the latter's
demand for inclusion in the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category, this year
they have chosen to distance themselves but want to ensure that the
Gujjars don't get a share in their quota pie.
"We have decided not to interfere in the Gujjars' protest this year.
Last year, whatever happened was an unfortunate incident," Kirori
Singh Meena, the seniormost Meena leader, told IANS here, referring
to the four lives lost in the Gujjar-Meena clashes.
"We have appealed to our community to maintain calm even if there is
any sort of abusive provocation from the other side," said Meena, a
former food and civil supplies minister in the Rajasthan government.
"We (Gujjars and Meenas) should not fight with each other. We appeal
to our Gujjar brothers to call off their stir and not to spread
violence in the state. Last year, they lost 26 men, this year 39 of
their men have been killed so far due to their leader Kirori Singh
Bainsla's obstinacy," he added.
He said the Meenas wanted the agitation to end without further
bloodshed. The Gujjars' road and rail blockade agitation since May
23 has crippled life in Rajasthan and caused millions of rupees'
loss to the exchequer.
While the Gujjars have been classified as other backward classes (OBCs)
in the state, they want to be included in the ST category like the
Meenas and get a share of the quota pie. OBCs get 27 percent
reservation and the STs 7.5 percent, but the perception is that the
community will get a larger quota share with the ST status.
Last year, four men were killed and 20 injured when the stand-off
between Gujjars and Meenas over ST status took a violent turn in
Rajasthan's Dausa and Karauli districts.
The violence erupted mainly because the Gujjars had chosen the
Meena-dominated areas as their epicentre of protest. But this time,
the Gujjar Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti (Gujjar pro-reservation front)
has decided to hold the agitation in the belt of Gujjar-dominated
areas of Bharatpur, around 150 km from the state capital.
Thousands of Gujjars, who belong to the traditional shepherd
community, have been squatting on the railway tracks in Pilupura
village in Bharatpur since May 23. They have intensified their
agitation following the killings of 39 community members in the
Bayana, Sikandra and Sawai Madhopur areas, mostly in police firings.
There seems to be no end to the stalemate between the Gujjars and
the Vasundhara Raje-led state government.
Asked whether the Gujjars should be included in the ST category,
Meena said: "We are of the same opinion as the Justice (Jasraj)
Chopra committee. Everything should be according to the
constitution."
In December last year, the Justice Jasraj Chopra committee had
rejected the demand by Gujjars of Rajasthan for inclusion in the ST
category but suggested a special package to members of the community
living in under-developed and remote areas of the state.
The committee was constituted by the state government on June 13 in
compliance with the peace understanding signed between Chief
Minister Vasundhara Raje and representatives of the Gujjar
pro-reservation front, led by its convenor Bainsla, on June 4.
Murari Lal Meena, legislator from Sikandra in Dausa district, feels
that the Gujjars' demand is unethical.
"Whatever the Rajasthan government does, it should be in accordance
with the constitutional norms."
However, Suresh Meena, another legislator, was in support of the
Gujjars' demands.
"They must get whatever they are demanding," he told IANS.
Meena leaders, who spoke to IANS, in unison criticised the
Vasundhara Raje government for allowing the Gujjar leaders to hold
the city to ransom. They said the rail and road blockades should be
removed peacefully without any further violence.
IANS
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June 1, 2008
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