Raje govt begins informal talks with Gurjars
The Vasundhara Raje government in Rajasthan has kicked off informal talks with the Gurjar leadership in an attempt to break the deadlock between the two sides.
By TNN |
NEW DELHI: The Vasundhara Raje government in Rajasthan has kicked off informal talks with the Gurjar leadership in an attempt to break the deadlock between the two sides over the latter���s demand for a ST status, even as there were fresh indications to suggest that the BJP was getting ready to lob the issue back in the Centre���s court.
It���s been 12 days since the Gurjar Arakshan Sangharsh Samiti (GASS) revived its agitation for bestowing the ST tag on the community.
With some 40 lives lost in the clashes between the protesting Gurjars and the Rajasthan police and the campaign heading nowhere, there is realisation in the two sides that any further delay in initiating discussions to break the deadlock would invite popular scorn and anger, a prospect that the BJP leadership would be keen to avert at a time when elections to the state assembly are just six months away.
The Raje government has, therefore , decided to engage the Gurjar leadership, albeit in an informal manner . Draft notes have been exchanged between the two sides on a formula that would be mutually acceptable.
Notwithstanding the Centre���s rebuff to its earlier initiative, the state government , it is learnt, is getting ready to forward a fresh recommendation to the Manmohan Singh government.
Since the issue is certain to have repercussion beyond the boundaries of Rajasthan , the Centre will be asked to organise a meeting of states having a substantial Gurjar population so as to hammer out a consensus on the demand for according ST status to the community.
An indication to this effect was provided by the BJP���s prime ministerial candidate, Mr L K Advani in his interaction with corporate honchos at a function organised on Tuesday by the Assocham. `` A decision resolving the issue has to be taken by the Centre,������ Mr Advani contended.
`The issue should not be viewed as a political game between the Centre and the state governments,������ he said, adding that the Rajasthan government would provide all the necessary statistics to the Centre for this arriving at a solution.������
The former deputy prime minister was responding to the stand taken a day earlier by the union law ministry, which had said that the initiative for providing reservation to any community needs to be taken by the state.
With the agitation showing no signs of dying down, the BJP leadership has been concerned with its political ramifications .
Having seen 38 of his community members die so far in the latest burst of agitation, GASS chief Kirori Singh Bainsla too finds himself on the backfoot . He has come under tremendous pressure to do business with the government .
It���s been 12 days since the Gurjar Arakshan Sangharsh Samiti (GASS) revived its agitation for bestowing the ST tag on the community.
With some 40 lives lost in the clashes between the protesting Gurjars and the Rajasthan police and the campaign heading nowhere, there is realisation in the two sides that any further delay in initiating discussions to break the deadlock would invite popular scorn and anger, a prospect that the BJP leadership would be keen to avert at a time when elections to the state assembly are just six months away.
The Raje government has, therefore , decided to engage the Gurjar leadership, albeit in an informal manner . Draft notes have been exchanged between the two sides on a formula that would be mutually acceptable.
Notwithstanding the Centre���s rebuff to its earlier initiative, the state government , it is learnt, is getting ready to forward a fresh recommendation to the Manmohan Singh government.
Since the issue is certain to have repercussion beyond the boundaries of Rajasthan , the Centre will be asked to organise a meeting of states having a substantial Gurjar population so as to hammer out a consensus on the demand for according ST status to the community.
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An indication to this effect was provided by the BJP���s prime ministerial candidate, Mr L K Advani in his interaction with corporate honchos at a function organised on Tuesday by the Assocham. `` A decision resolving the issue has to be taken by the Centre,������ Mr Advani contended.
`The issue should not be viewed as a political game between the Centre and the state governments,������ he said, adding that the Rajasthan government would provide all the necessary statistics to the Centre for this arriving at a solution.������
The former deputy prime minister was responding to the stand taken a day earlier by the union law ministry, which had said that the initiative for providing reservation to any community needs to be taken by the state.
With the agitation showing no signs of dying down, the BJP leadership has been concerned with its political ramifications .
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The Rajasthan Gurjars, who were traditionally seen to be soft on the party, have turned against it now. And any decision on their demand is intrinsically linked to the political reflexes of the numerically-strong Meena community , the single-largest beneficiaries of the government jobs earmarked for the STs under the quota system.Having seen 38 of his community members die so far in the latest burst of agitation, GASS chief Kirori Singh Bainsla too finds himself on the backfoot . He has come under tremendous pressure to do business with the government .
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Mr Bainsla, however, finds his hands tied. Younger, hot-headed elements , with the tacit backing of the Congress, have been putting pressure on him to go the whole hog. Download
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