By IANS
Jaipur : The Rajasthan government Tuesday decided to send to the union government the status report of the high-powered Justice Jasraj Chopra Committee that studied the Gujjar community’s demand for The Scheduled Tribe status.
“The state cabinet, after reviewing and discussing the report, decided to forward the report to the central government for an appropriate action,” said Digambar Singh, medical and health minister.
The committee submitted its report to Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje Monday.
The cabinet also discussed the report, in which it has been suggested that the people devoid of modern facilities should be given special packages and a scheme be launched for their development. However, the committee has not named any particular community.
Singh said that the state government has decided to constitute another high-power committee, to be headed by parliamentarian Ramdas Agarwal, that will suggest preparing a special package for these people.
This committee would submit its report to the state government before the assembly budget session, which usually takes place in the first week of March.
Gujjars, who at present are placed in the government’s list of Other backward Classes (OBC), held protests across Rajasthan from May 29 to June 4, demanding the community be declared a Scheduled Tribe, a status, they argue, that would give them more employment and educational opportunities.
Normal life was paralysed and at least 26 people were killed in the violence that in mid-June was heading towards a caste war between Gujjars and Meenas, dominant among tribal community in Rajasthan who opposed Gujjars’ demand for the status.
Meenas believe that Gujjars’ inclusion in the Scheduled Tribes category will affect the balance of power between the communities.
The high-powered Justice Jasraj Chopra Committee, set up June 12 by the state government following an agreement signed with the representatives of the Gujjar Aarakshan Sangarsh Samiti, was due to submit its report by Sep 12. But its term was later extended till Dec 15.
“The state government has not done justice with us. We wanted the government to send a recommendation letter with the report, but they have not done so. We oppose it and if need be we would launch non-violent protests in the state”, threatened Roop Singh, a Gujjar leader.