By IANS
Jaipur : The Rajasthan High Court Monday allowed Gujjars to hold a mass meeting in Dholpur on Sep 13 to press their demand for tribal status, but subject to the district authorities granting permission. It also directed the government to ensure the meet is held peacefully.
Justice P.S. Asopa, hearing a petition of Lakham Singh and others, said in his order that for holding the maha panchayat (mass rally), the Gujjars would have to seek permission of the district collector. It directed the Rajasthan government to see that the meet is held peacefully and no violence takes place.
The Gujjars are to announce their future strategy on Sep 13 and launch mass rallies to press their demand for tribal status for the community, which they feel would provide them with better educational and employment opportunities.
The court asked the government not to present any report or recommendation letter to the central government under pressure from the Gujjars.
The state government has set up a high-powered Justice Jasraj Chopra committee to look into the Gujjars’ demand for classifying them as tribals.
The committee was to give its report on Sep 12. However, it has sought extension till Dec 15. The court in its order said that no report should be made under pressure of the community.
The court also made Colonel K.L. Bainsla, head of Gujjar Aarakshan Sangarsh Samiti (GASS), and Roop Singh, spokesperson of GASS, a party to the case and asked them to file a reply by Sep 25.
The petitioners, who are not Gujjars, had in their plea challenged the process of constitution of the Justice Chopra Committee and sought the court’s intervention in stopping the maha panchayat in Dholpur on the plea that it may affect the law and order situation in the state.
The Gujjars, who are classified as other backward caste (OBC), had held violent protests all over the state from May 29 to June 4 in which at least 26 people were killed.