Rajasthan Issue

[ankurbhati]

Friends, i believe quota should be provided to all the financially backward people, whether its gurjars or pundits for that matter..yes, the gurjars in rajasthan are in a bad shape and they do need some kind of help from the govt for a secure future..but, our society hasnt really reaped the benefits of the obc quota..jats, yadavs, thakurs have done well with the help of obc status..i dont think we are too much behind these communities..but, being a member of the gurjar community, i hope the gurjars of rajasthan and also other needy people irrespective of their community get reservation in educational institutions and government jobs.. Col. Bainsla is doing a fine job for the community...

[awanasc]

ek ho jao sarkar ki et se et baja do

[salumber76]

Hello all brothers,

it is a great concern for the Pakistani Gujjar community that our brothers accross the border are being deprived of thier fundamental rights and being killed by State. i listened that 37 gurjars have been shot dead and 20 gurjars were killed last year during the agitation against the decision State for not including them to share the reservation quota for the gujjar youth in all Govt jobs .

younus Salumber

[sunnyposwal]

Dear feiends,

According to my openion, we are fighting for our rights. and this is the time when all of Us should show our strenght and do our best.

I earnestly request and invite your kind attention for
the following:

I most respectfully would like to ask the following
questions to the
Hon'ble (i) President of India,(ii) Primer Minister,
(iii) Chief
Justice of India, (iv) Media (all Print & Electronics)
, (v)
Presidents of all Polital Parties keeping view the
different stages
of 'Gurjar Arakshan' taking place in Country since
last 29th May 2007:

1. Is this not the 'Ranutsrya Shame' that 26 innocent persons shoot-dead on 29th May 2007 and more than 50 persons shoot-dead on 23/24th May 2008 and no authorities of this Great & Democratic Country raise demand for CBI enquiry who gave orders for this Mass Mascarruy?

2. Are the Gurjar not the citizens of India and have no rights to raise their demand. And cannot demonstrate even the Govt./Central Govt. not paying attention in spite of repeated notices.?
3. Are the Gurjars terrerist and the shoot at site orders passed to control them against agitation? What the reasons not open fire at the time of Agitations for Ram Mandir, Ram Setu, State Govts./Central Govt. workers agitations for their different demands?

4. It is not the 'Rashtriya Shame' that bullets have been used to suppress Gurjars at several times and several places? And even dead-bodies remained-lying on road & fields for several days. Also no Govt. Official, Political Leaders reach at spots.

5. Are the Gurjars of Rajasthan well settled, Economically sound, Educationally capable, hold employment as per their ratio of population, status of living is as per GDP of common man of India?

I think an arrest warrent should be issued against the authority who had ordered Bullet Firing as well as Vasundhra Raje should be arrested.

Regards

Sunny Gurjar

[sunnyposwal]

Dear Friends,

There are many people asking me what we can do sitting from office/home. Actually, you can do a lot!! Our current objective is to pressurize the governments & parties. One way of doing that is flood them with
1. "Letters" on their postal addresses,
2. Faxes on their fax machines and
3. Sending emails on their mail ids.

Item 1 is the most necessary one as the governments are still following the old modes of communication.

We have collected the addresses (mentioned below), fax numbers and email ids of the concerned authorities. Please write letters to them with your feelings on what is happening in Rajasthan and ask them questions on our future. Also, if you can share your letters here at this group, that will be great, as others can take reference and motivation from them.

Hurry up!! Act now as we've to flood their mailboxes in next few days.

One more thing, as you all must have browsed through lot of Gurjar websites, pls send this file to those website owners and ask them to put these addresses on their website, so that anybody who opens their website knows what to do.

"Play with our Pride, Pay through your Nose!!"

Write to Prime Minister:
Postal Address:
The Prime Minister
South Block, Raisina Hill,
New Delhi,
India-110 011.
Telephone : [phone].
Fax : [phone].
WriteOnWeb : pmindia.nic.in/write.htm (not working currently, keep checking)

Write To President:
Postal Address: Not Available
Email : [e-mail]

Write To Vice President:
Postal Address:
Vice-President's House,
6, Maulana Azad Road,
New Delhi - 110 011
Telephone : [phone]
Email : [e-mail]

Write to Ministry of Social Justice:
Postal Address:
Ms Meira Kumar
Union Cabinet Minister,
Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment
Shastri Bhawan, Dr Rajendra Prasad Road,
New Delhi - 110 001 (India)
Telephones : 011-23381001, 011-2338 1390
FAX : [phone]
Email : [e-mail]
Online Public Grievance System – Min of Social Justice & Empowerment
pgportal.gov.in/

Write to Ministry of Home Affairs:
Postal Address:
Ministry of Home Affairs, North Block
Central Secretariat
New Delhi - 110 001
Telephone : [phone]
Fax : [phone]
Ministry of Home Affairs – Public Grievances Division:
Postal Address:
Shri K.C. Jain
Joint Secretary (Coordination and Public Grievances)
Room No. 9, North Block
New Delhi-110001
Telefax : 011-23092392
E-Mail : [e-mail] , [e-mail]

Write To NHRC:
Postal Address:
NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION
Faridkot House,Copernicus Marg,
New Delhi-110001,
India
Telephones : MADAD: 91-11-23385368
[phone] (mobile)
Fax Nos : 91-11-23384863 (Administration)
91-11-23386521 (Law Division)
91-11-23073876 (Investigation)
Email : [e-mail]

Write To National Commission for Scheduled Tribes
Postal Address:
Director
National Commission for Scheduled Tribes
First Floor, Block-A,
Kendriya Sadan, Sector-10,
Vidyadhar Nagar
Jaipur-302023
Telephones : 0141-2236779
Fax : [phone]

[Krishan Kumar Gurjar - Lohmod]

Rom Rom Gurjar Bhaio,

Great Idea !, Sunny Bhai

[Krishan Kumar Gurjar - Lohmod]

Gurjars Andolan in News Update :
Gujjar protesters erect new tents in Karwadi
Bayana (Raj) (PTI): Gujjar protesters on Wednesday pitched new tents in Karwadi, the agitation nerve centre, with a senior community leader vowing to continue the stir till their demand for ST status was accepted.

About 25 tents were erected by the protesters and another tent pitched on the railway track passing through Karwadi-Pilupura area, reports reaching Bayana, about 12 kms from Karwadi area, said. In the last couple of days, many of tents pitched there had been dismantled.

The protesters continued to stage a sit in on the railway track passing through Karwadi as the agitation entered its 20 day.

Vice Chairman of Gurjar Arakshan Sangharsh Samiti Capt (retd) Hari Prasad said the agitation would last till the community was accorded Scheduled Tribe status.

While there was no word from Samiti chairman Kirori Singh Bainsla on the course of the agitation, Rajasthan government's chief negotiator S N Thanvi said the Gujjar leadership was expected to announce the composition of the delegation for the talks in Jaipur.

Officials in the Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje's office had said on Tuesday night that Bainsla, spearheading the agitation, had conveyed his readiness to hold the talks in the state capital.

This followed mediatory efforts between the state government and the Gujjars by spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar after Bainsla set pre-conditions which had cast an uncertainty on the dialogue process. Bainsla had wanted release of Gujjar men and women arrested in the wake of the agitation.

The spiritual leader had first met Raje and senior BJP leader Gopinath Munde, the party's prominent OBC face, in Jaipur on Tuesday and then held an over hour-long meeting with Bainsla.

The yoga guru came into the picture at a time when talks between the two sides had hit new roadblocks as Gujjars came up with the preconditions for continuing the exercise.

Bainsla had also wanted supply of electricity and water and telecommunication network jammed in some of the stir-hit areas be restored.

Preliminary talks between Gujjars and state government officials were held on Monday.

as per the Hindu Newspaper dtd. 11/06/2008

[Dr rambilas singh Gurjar]

editorial written for Economic and Political Weekly

The BJP’s discordant and opportunistic politics is only deepening the social divide in Rajasthan.

Hardly did the trauma of the tragic blasts in Jaipur abate when Rajasthan was up in flames following militant protests by the gurjars being put down with a heavy hand by resort to largely unwarranted and excessive police firing, leading to a death toll higher than during a similar agitation a year ago. There is a clear lack of will on the part of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led state government, despite the party’s election promise in 2003, to recommend the provision of scheduled tribe (ST) status to the community. Police firing against agitators have killed 39 people (as we go to press) and injured many more, provoking an escalation of the agitation and its spread to the national capital region and other parts of north India. The agitators are now demanding nothing less than the immediate implementation of their demand for the state government to recommend the bestowal of ST status to the gurjars.




Last year, the Rajasthan government led by chief minister Vasundhara Raje Scindia had found a way to mitigate the crisis by constituting a committee to address the issue. The justice Chopra committee recommended an economic package worth Rs 280 crore to address the question of the backwardness of the gurjars, but their leaders (representing organisations such as the Gurjar Arakshan Sangharsh Samiti, led by Kirori Singh Bainsla) have rejected the same and have reiterated their demand for the declaration of ST status for the community in Rajasthan. Currently Gurjars are categorised as other backward classes (OBCs) in the state. They justify their demand to be provided reservations as a ST owing to associations of sections of the community (“van gurjars”) with pastoral work and as semi-nomadic cattle herders. Another reason is the fact that gurjars in Jammu & Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh are already categorised under the ST category. However, the inclusion of gurjars in Rajasthan as scheduled tribes is problematic as the ST category as mentioned in the Constitution's fifth schedule is defined by certain specific and identifiable characteristics such as lifestyle, culture, inaccessibility and backwardness, and not just economic underdevelopment.

Another motivation for their demand has been the fact that the BJP led National Democratic Alliance government led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee had deemed the jat community in Rajasthan as OBCs. Inclusion of jats in the OBC category crowded out representation for the gurjars from the reservation pie. As mentioned, the BJP had also promised ST status for the gurjars before the Rajasthan assembly elections in 2003, but its subsequent lack of will to implement this electoral promise has fuelled militant protests by the community. The protests last year were muddied when the party diabolically provoked the meena community (who were provided ST status in 1954) to fight the gurjars. Given this background, the Rajasthan government’s conciliatory proposition to provide 4 to 6 percent reservations by classifying the gurjars as denotified tribes has predictably been rejected by the gurjar leadership.

The high death toll in police firing has only aggravated the problem, and has induced the gurjar leadership to adopt a maximalist position. Offers of talks by the chief minister have been rebuffed, but latest indications are that the gurjar leaders will come to the table. The offer of an economic package can be a starting point but the state government must take pro-active measures in addressing the problems of people traditionally relying on occupations such as pastoral work and dairy farming (many of whom belong to the gurjar community).

Obviously, use of the policy of reservations as a tool for alleviating economic backwardness as well as enhancing representation has proven to be difficult in states like Rajasthan. The garnering of support across various castes by political parties such as the BJP in Rajasthan and the Bahujan Samaj Party in Uttar Pradesh, who have promised reservations for the poor from the upper castes too, has created conditions for competitive caste politics fanning inter-caste clashes and demands for further reservation for other caste groups. It is incumbent upon political parties to reverse this dangerous trend by revisiting the basis on which reservations were formalised as a policy. Reservations cannot be on the basis of the criterion of economic backwardness alone. The policy has to be targeted towards gradually rendering the caste hierarchy redundant. At the same time, states need to formulate and work upon welfare measures for socio-economic development through policies that are for the betterment of sections across castes so that the incentives for specific groups to make claims for exceptional treatment through reservation do not exist. But where is the progressive democratic movement to bring this about? The BJP’s discordant and opportunistic politics is only deepening the social divide in Rajasthan.

Posted by Srinivasan Ramani at 2:23 PM

Labels: EPW, Gujjars, Politics, Rajasthan, Reservation

[Dr rambilas singh Gurjar]

GURJAR NEWS . ndtv
Monday, June 16, 2008 (Jaipur)
Prospects of an end to the 25-day-old agitation by Gujjars appeared to brighten on Monday as the community leader Kirori Singh Bainsla and Rajasthan government claimed ''forward movement'' after the fourth round of talks in Jaipur.

A final round of discussion will be held on Tuesday when Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje is likely to come face to face with Bainsla for the first time since the Gujjar agitation for Scheduled Tribe status began on May 23.

Emerging from a three-and-half hour meeting with the Gujjar delegation led by Bainsla spearheading the agitation, senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Ramdas Aggarwal, who headed the government side, told reporters that Monday's talks were held in a very cordial and satisfactory manner and would continue on Tuesday.

''We have moved four steps further and will go ahead to achieve the goal for the benefit of the people in the state,'' Aggarwal added.

At the joint press conference, Bainsala said, ''I am satisfied with today's meeting, which was held in a very cordial manner. We have moved two to four steps forward.''

Asked if the government will recommend ST status for the community, he said, ''it was discussed today and will be finalised tomorrow.''

''Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje is likely to attend the fifth and final round of talks with the Gujjar delegation headed by Bainsala tomorrow,'' said Aggarwal.

To a question on calling off the agitation and withdrawing from railway tracks at Pilupura in Bharatpur district, Harprasad Gujjar, the co-convenor of Rajasthan Gujjar Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti, said, ''As soon as we reach there with the recommendation letter (we will put an end to the stir)''.

[Dr rambilas singh Gurjar]

GURJAR NEWS
Monday, June 16, 2008 (Jaipur)
Prospects of an end to the 25-day-old agitation appeared to brighten on Monday as the community leader Kirori Singh Bainsla and Rajasthan government claimed ''forward movement'' after the fourth round of talks in Jaipur.

A final round of discussion will be held on Tuesday when Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje is likely to come face to face with Bainsla for the first time since the Gujjar agitation for Scheduled Tribe status began on May 23.

Emerging from a three-and-half hour meeting with col Bainsla spearheading the agitation, senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Ramdas Aggarwal, who headed the government side, told reporters that Monday's talks were held in a very cordial and satisfactory manner and would continue on Tuesday.

''We have moved four steps further and will go ahead to achieve the goal for the benefit of the people in the state,'' Aggarwal added.

At the joint press conference, Bainsala said, ''I am satisfied with today's meeting, which was held in a very cordial manner. We have moved two to four steps forward.''

Asked if the government will recommend ST status for the community, he said, ''it was discussed today and will be finalised tomorrow.''

''Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje is likely to attend the fifth and final round of talks with the Gujjar delegation headed by Bainsala tomorrow,'' said Aggarwal.

To a question on calling off the agitation and withdrawing from railway tracks at Pilupura in Bharatpur district, Harprasad Gurjar, the co-convenor of Rajasthan Gurjar Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti, said, ''As soon as we reach there with the recommendation letter (we will put an end to the stir)''.

[Dr rambilas singh Gurjar]

Each and everything have prescribed qualification. in all fields.
Reservation is an indirect method of sharing everything -according to their numerical ratio.
No one have right to force weaker caste to live as a animal life.
Gurjars were fighting for their Rights and got the fruit of success,because no one gives the rights without demand
We must find a way all people to live in equal status.
The deadlock between the Rajasthan government and agitating Gurjars has finally ended after talks between the two sides concluded successfully on Tuesday night.

The smiles and the body language after the meeting were a clear sign that the stalemate had been broken.

Col Bainsla and the delegation of the Rajasthan government, emerged after a marathon nine-hour meeting, both sides claimed success and confirmed that an agreement has been reached.

The agreement will be signed by Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje and Gurjar leader Col Bainsla on Wednesday.

With this, the 26-day-old agitation by Gujjars, demanding Scheduled Tribe status, is all set to be called off.

''We have reached an agreement and the modalities will be formally announced on Wednesday by Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje,'' said Ram Das Agarwal, member, government delegation.

''The talks have been successful and this is going to be a historic agreement for Rajasthan,'' said Kirori Singh Bainsala, Gurjar leader.

While there is no official word on the exact terms of the agreement, sources say in the compromise formula reached, the Raje government will grant about four per cent reservation for Gurjars under a special category.

But for the past two years, the Gurjars have actually been demanding ST reservations. And the government is also likely to send a letter to the Centre, making at least a notional recommendation of tribal status to the Gurjars.

''The government will give us about four to six per cent reservations. Colonel Bainsala will go to Peelupura and then formally call off the agitation,'' said Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, Gurjar leader.

With Gurjar leaders and the Raje government reaching an agreement, the agitation that has virtually paralysed much of eastern Rajasthan for over three weeks is now practically over.

And the exact modalities will be clear once Col Bainsla and Vasundhara Raje sign on the dotted line.

[Dr rambilas singh Gurjar]

GURJAR ANDOLAN (Agitation) IN BRIEF


*18 May 2008, Col. Bainsala the president of Gurjar arakshan sangharsh samiti,Made Ultimatum for govt upto 8:00AM ,23 May 2008 to sent the letter of ST status for gurjars ,failing this he declared the statement to stop train at karwadi (jogipura) on date 23 May 2008 at 11;00AM

*20 May2008, The SDM of Hindaun city issued arrest warrant tto Col Bainsala and other members of Gurjar arakshan sangharsh samiti

*20 May2008, IPC 144 Implemented in Bharatpur district by District Majistrate,and inspection of Andolan place was performed to stop the andolan( protest) any how

*20 May2008, the notice about arrest warrant attached at the house of Con
Bainsala

*21 May2008, flag march of three companies of RAC at Samogar Bridge and the list of suspected persons (protestors) likely to be involved in andolan was prepared by administration

*22 May 2008, the arrest of 61 suspected Gurjars with order to seal of divisional boundaries was made to make the Andolan Unsuccessful

*23 May 2008,Gurjars for andolan reached at Karwadi ,Due to firing on Gurjars Movement 16 Gurjar protestors and one policeman died,many injured

*23 May 2008,The possession of Gurjar protestors on railway track,rail lines uprooted by Gurjars protestors, train and bus traffic completely stopped

* 24 May 2008, Due to firing on Gurjar protestors attacked and put on fire the Sikandara Polce Station,Other districts of Rajasthan involved in Gurjar Andolan, Police firing lead to 20 more death of Gurjars

*25 May 2008, the District Majistrate and Suprintendent of Distric Bharatpur Transferred

*26 May 2008,the ex Chief Minister (UP) Mr Mulayam singh Yadav and Amar singh Yadav the leader of Samajvadi Party with supporters arrested by Rajasthan Government and released back . while trying to attend the movement at Pilupura (movement place of gurjars)

*27 May 2008, The Rajasthan High Court issued a contempt notice to Gujjar leader Kirori Singh Bainsla for allegedly violating its order restraining the community leadership from taking law into their hand,Government of Rajasthan order RASUKA IPC 144 in 15 districts

*28 May 2008,In support of protestors Dacoit Jagan Gurjar and Ram vilas made threat to blast on the palace of Vasundhara raje at Dholpur ,High security alert performed in Dholpur

*29 May 2008, the first anniversary Ceramony of the police firing on Gurjar protesters on the Patoli-Peepalkheda stretch of the NH 11 performed by protestors

*29 May 2008,The president of Siromani Akali Dal Man Mr SirmanJeet Singh Man prevented by police to enter into Bayana

*30 May 2008,Firing of police on Gurjar Protestors ,2 died at Kushali Darra at Sawai Madhopur,5 Policemen injured*30 May 2008

*30 May 2008,Rastriya Kishan Union Leader Mahendra singh Tikait and his supporters arrested by police in129CRPC Act and returned back from Rarah

*30 May 2008,D.G.P, Amarjeet Singh Gill Removed from post and K.S.Bains appointed as New D.G.P.

*1 June 2008,M.P.Visvendra Singh Reached at Pilupura at movement place

*1 June 2008, M.P.Visvendra Singh,with her wife Divya Singh make statement to resign

*1 June 2008,President of Rastriya Lokdal Yuva,Mr Jayant Chaudhary with his supporters arrested by police in129CRPC Act and returned back from Rarah

*1 June 2008,The Rajasthan Govt Ready For Postmortem at the place of movement,4 dead bodies transferred from Bharatpur to Pilupura

*2 June 2008,The Doctors performed postmortem on the 16 dead bodies of protestor Gurjars ,at the place of movement

*3 June 2008,In Pilupura, funeral of 5 Protestors performed,Postmortem of 20 protestors performed by doctors at Sikandara and Two Protestors at Kusali Darra Sawai Madhopur

*3 June 2008,MLA Divya singh and Surendra Singh Rathor resigned

*4 June 2008,New D.G.P.Bains visited Pilpura

*5 June 2008 The state sent a letter toCol. Bainsala on June 5, inviting him for negotiations with the Government

*6 June 2008 the stone throwing Between police and villagers of Samogar,Salabad and Tyohari Villages.

*6 June 2008,The 36 Gurjar teachers APO(Transferred to jaipur for awaiting posting Order),Col. Bainsala

*6 June 2008, Rejecting the offer,to held talk in Bayana by Col.Baisala the Vasundhara Raje government said talks could only be held in state capital Jaipur. Responding to this, Bainsala told television channels in Bayana that talks could only be held there and said the state government was only “increasing opposition” by insisting on Jaipur as the talks venue. Baisala made appeal for Bharat Bandh on 10th june 2008

*7 June 2008,Funeral of Protestors in Sikandara,killed by police firing in Sikandara Dausa

*8 June 2008,Ex Minister of UP government Mr Jaipalsingh Prevented to enter into Rajasthan by police at Rarah

*9 June 2008, June 2008, The Rajasthan Government hold talks with the Gujjar delegation in Bayana Government College

*10 June 2008. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar first met chief minister Vasundhra Raje and senior BJP leader Gopinath Munde and then later held an over hour long meeting with Gurjjar leader Kirori Singh Bainsla. The intervention of the spiritual leader came at a time when dialogue between the two sides had hit a new roadblock, owing to Gurjjars coming up with fresh preconditions before continuing the exercise.For further dialogue Col. Baisala demanded to release Gurjar Womans arrested by polce

*11 June 2008,Police Bound to Escape by Protestors from Pilupura Railway Track

*12 June 2008, 24 Gurjar women granted bail, a major hurdle was cleared on Thursday to resume talks between the Rajasthan government and agitating Gurjars on Friday.
The Protestor Gurjar women, who were arrested by the police on June 6 for damaging railway tracks at Bandikui, were given bail by a Dausa fast track court.

*13 June 2008, A seven-member team of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) arrived in Bharatpur on Friday to investigate circumstances leading to police firing on agitating Gujjars at Pilupura and Sikandra on May 23 and 24 that claimed 38 lives.
The Commission has ordered the inquiry following a complaint filed by Delhi High Court lawyer Anurag Kasana,

*13 June 2008,A Police case filed against ExMinister Sampat singh Gurjar with 67 protestors in police station Deeg Bharatpur

*14 June 2008. The Statements of Gurjar community recorded by team of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC)
*15 June 2008,The IPC act 144 extended Upto 15 July 2008(one Month)

*15 June 2008, . The Statements of Gurjar Protestors who were in Central Jail recorded by team of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC)

*16 June 2008.Atmanand Maharaj Reached in Pilupura and Blessed Col.Bainsala

*17 June 2008,Col.Bainsala Reached jaipur Via helicopter of Government to held talk with government on invitation.

*17 June 2008,On fifth round of talk, negotiation held between Gurjar Community and Government,and agreement made,

!!!!! GREAT SUCCESS!!!!!
HISTORIC SUCCESS( in words of Col.Bainsala)

*18 June 2008, The 26-day-old agitation called off on June 18, 2008,Wednesday.
On Wednesday, after two days of talks with Gurjar leader Kirori Singh Bainsala, the state's chief minister Vasundhara Raje Scindia told that her government will create a special category for Gurjars and two other tribal groups, the Banjaras and Rewadis, and grant them 5 percent of reserved seats in government jobs and educational institutions.
The Gurjar leader Col.Baisala welcomed the announcement.

with the discussions, the recommendation draws attention to a December 1999 letter from the Centre to the state listing 14 additional castes and 23 more tribes for inclusion in the list of SCs and STs respectively. Gurjars are included among those 23 tribes. Yet this inclusion never actually took place.


By Ram

[getgujjar]

Thanks Dr Rambilas for detaling the day by day proceedings of Rajasthan reservation issue......Congrats to all .....at last we got some share........

[mahi3may]

dear gurjar bhai,
plz leave in unity, we are only gurjar not khari & loare,
our community very poor in education if we r educated no one can beat us.

[Krishan Kumar Gurjar - Lohmod]

Raje lashes out at Rajasthan governor over Gurjar reservation bill
Rohit Parihar
Jaipur, January 13, 2009

Former chief minister of Rajasthan Vasundhara Raje has hit out at Governor S.K. Singh describing his action of writting a letter to the president against a unanimous Assembly decision to grant reservation to Gurjars and economically weaker sections taken during her tenure.

Singh, after sitting over the bill that gave an exclusive 5 per cent reservation to Gurjars for almost half a year, finally sent it to the president. He also sent information to prime minister, Union home minister and law minister.

Singh has opposed the bill citing it contradicts Supreme Court's bar over reservation to not exceed fifty per cent, saying the bill would push it to 68 per cent. He even has referred to Col K.S. Bainsla, Gurjar leader in an offending manner pointing out that he has wanted him to be sympathetic towards the issue to bail him out.

While this has left Bainsla furious who might decide to turn aggressive again, Raje said Singh's letter was unconstitutional. "There is no provision under Constitution that provides for writing such letters to the president and ministers," she said. She quoted Supreme Court to point out that governor needs to be impartial and apolitical and function within constitutional provisions.

Singh is widely known for his views against reservation.

Singh's stand will please Meena community who opposes reservation to Gurjars and has voted against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in just concluded Assembly polls. Howver, it gives BJP a chance to exploit Gurjars as also economic weaker sections before Lok Sabha polls.

It will also been seen how new Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot succeeds in tackling Gurjar agitation, if it comes up again that damaged Raje a lot and is a major reason for her losing elections.

indiatoday.digitaltoday.in/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=25138§ionid=4&issueid=88&Itemid=1