Religion, Caste And Tribe Based Reservation - 4

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<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>What’s the politics around this </b>
• Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje promised ST status while campaigning for the Assembly polls in 2003

• Says Sachin Pilot, Congress MP from Dausa: “The administration has been totally callous. It set up a high-powered committee to look into the question of ST status for Gurjjars one-and-a-half years ago, but the panel has not even been notified yet. Even the state ministers supposed to be on it don’t know whether the committee exists”

<b>Why is Gurjjar demand such a hot potato </b>
• Meenas, the only ST at present, finding their pie cut into, might want to migrate to SC category

• Cascading effect of this as other groups may similarly demand recategorisation

<b>What is at stake</b>
• Meena-Jat-Gurjjar social fabric under strain. Faultlines already visible among communities. Whispers among Gurjjars that Meena officials ordered firing on the Gurjjar demonstrators on Tuesday

<b>How do you decide on ST </b>
• After a representation. Centre asks State and Census Commissioner, whose Anthropological Wing checks on characteristics of group: distinct culture, remoteness, absence of caste, dialect

• Not so easy. In 1981, Rajasthan govt recommended ST status for Gaddia Lohars and Vanjaras. Until now, this hasn’t been done<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Look at, people are dying to be called "Dalit" or SC, even they are not.
Who says they are abused?