M A I N   N E W S

‘I never promised ST status to them’
Chitleen K Sethi
Tribune News Service

Jaipur, May 29
Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje today voiced her deep personal anguish at the Gujjars’ mistrust of her government. In an exclusive interview with The Tribune, Raje said the genesis of the unrest lay in the misimpression that she had promised the Gujjars ST status and had now refused to honour her word.

Denying that she had ever made any such promise during the Parivartan Yatra in 2003, Raje, whose own daughter-in-law is a Gujjar, said she had not cheated the Gujjars at any stage and was ready for talks with them anytime.

“These are the saddest days of my life as the community for which I have worked the hardest is mistrusting me the most,” said Raje.

Kirori Singh Bainsla and other Gujjar leaders have been repeating that Raje had promised to recommend ST status for them to the Centre. “No such commitment was ever made. It was put up as a demand by Gujjars during the yatra and I even faced opposition from some groups during the yatra for not making that promise,” she said.

The Chief Minister's Office also launched its biggest ever information campaign today as part of which over 2.5 crore mobile SMS were sent from Raje's side through appealing for peace. Over five lakh pamphlets were airdropped in the Gujjar dominated belts of the state. The pamphlets contain a message from Raje highlighting the efforts put in by her government in getting the best possible deal for the Gujjars from the centre. Asking the Gujjars to direct their demand for an ST status to the Centre, she has appealed that the matter be resolved through dialogue. “I have no ego in this issue. They are my people out there. I am ready to talk but they are not. I went to Bhayana against the wishes of my advisors to talk to the protestors. But what happened? No one from their side came to talk. I am ready to talk even today,” said a visibly concerned Raje.

Raje who seemed surprised at the scale and intensity of the Gujjar anger towards her, said, “Wrong information is being spread by vested political interests. I am not a professional politician and I feel more hurt that I am being seen in such poor light by those who are family to me and for whom I have gone out of my way to help.”

“What did the Congress do all the years they were in power? They simply brushed away their demands. I am the one who is writing these letters. I set up the Kataria and the Agarwal committees. I did my best for them,” said Raje.

The state Congress and the central government came in for scathing criticism from other BJP quarters also. Gopinath Munde, BJP in charge of the Rajasthan electorate, who came to meet the Chief Minister this afternoon demanded the Congress make its stand clear about ST status to Gujjars.

A round-the-clock information dissemination control room of the BJP was also set up here today. Two ministers along with BJP workers would man the round-the-clock control room. “Crores of BJP workers are being contacted through the state to help maintain peace in the state,” said MS Rathore, OSD to the Chief Minister.