Rajasthan minister questions need for Gurjar Mahapanchayat, appeals for dialogue

Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], June 8 (ANI): Rajasthan Minister of State for Home, Jawahar Singh Bedham, on Sunday questioned the Gurjar Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti's decision to hold a Mahapanchayat, despite the government's willingness to engage in talks over long-standing demands of the Gurjar community.
The Minister said that the state government was open to dialogue and criticised the move to hold a Mahapanchayat.
"The Gurjar Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti has announced a Gurjar Mahapanchayat to address the demands of the Gurjar community... When the government is ready to talk, then what is the need for a Mahapanchayat?" he told ANI.
He noted that the Samiti had made an agreement with the previous Congress government in 2020, and it was now their responsibility to take up the matter with the present government. "When Congress did not fulfil the agreement, it became the Samiti's responsibility to talk to the present government," Minister Bedham said.
Bedham also stated that on behalf of the current government, he had taken steps to initiate talks.
"Yesterday, the panch patels told me to meet them on behalf of the government. I spoke to Vijay Bainsala on the phone as well. I reached Gajeepura, where 'panch patels' of eighty villages were present. I told them that the government is ready to talk and will take lawful and justified action in the interest of society," he told ANI.
Despite the outreach, the Minister expressed concern that some members of the community were still intent on opposing the government. "Yet some people are intent on speaking against the government. I doubt if politics has seeped into this," he said.
While calling for cooperation and formal communication, Bedham urged the Gurjar community to send a list of representatives willing to negotiate. "I appeal to the Gurjar community to send the names of their representatives who want to negotiate with the government. The government representatives will talk to them and take lawful action," he stated.
The statement came amid rising tensions over long-standing demands of the Gurjar community, including a complete implementation of 5 per cent reservation in government jobs for the community. (ANI)