Paswan to take up Gujjar issue with PM, Sonia

Lok Janshakti Party chief Ramvilas Paswan has said that he would take up Gujjar community's demand for Scheduled Tribe status to the doorsteps of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi.

Blaming the BJP-led Rajasthan government for the Gujjar flare-up, Lok Janshakti Party chief Ramvilas Paswan has said that he would take up the community's demand for Scheduled Tribe status to the doorsteps of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi.

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Assuring his "unstinted" support to the Gujjar cause, he accused the Vasundhare Raje government of going back on its promise made during 2003 Assembly elections to enlist the community in the Scheduled Tribe list.

"We are supporting the Gujjars. The LJP will also demand ST status for them," Paswan, also the Union Minister for Steel and Chemicals and Fertilisers, said.

Putting the blame on the state government for the renewed Gujjar agitation which has turned violent like last year, Paswan said the Raje dispensation was responsible for the current scenario.

"The Raje government had made a pre-poll promise to the community that they will be listed in the ST category. The promise has not been kept yet. The government should stick to its promise," he said.

"Instead of sticking to its promise, the government is using violent means to tackle the protest. How can the entire community be termed criminal? Such ways will not help solve things, this will in fact provoke them," he alleged.