Date:20/01/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/01/20/stories/2008012058531000.htm

National

Gujjars plan fresh protests

Special Correspondent

Kirori Singh Bainsla

NEW DELHI: All-India Gujjar Sangarsh Samiti chief patron Kirori Singh Bainsla on Saturday announced a new phase of agitation to seek Scheduled Tribe status for his community in Rajasthan and threatened to sit on a “fast unto death” from January 20 in support of this demand.

Peaceful agitation

Addressing a press conference here along with senior Gujjar leader and MLA Ramvir Singh Bidhuri and others, Col. Bainsla declared the Gujjars would launch a peaceful agitation for securing their rights from January 21. He appealed to people not to indulge in violence or destruction of public property. He regretted that Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje Scindia had launched a crackdown against Gujjar leaders in Rajasthan and indiscriminate arrests were being made to quell the protest.