Gujjar shadow looms over BJP national executive

New Delhi: The shadow of the ongoing Gujjar agitation in Rajasthan loomed large over the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national executive here on Sunday with heavy security and the absence of Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje being the talking points.

The BJP office on Ashok Road here was turned into a fortress with heavy police presence, fearing a march to the party headquarters by the Gujjars. The road was barricaded and only the press and party leaders were allowed to go past.

Disruption

The Gujjars have been agitating in Bharatpur and other parts of Rajasthan demanding Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. The clashes have led to disruption of several train services and dozens of agitators have lost their lives. A big group of Gujjar pro-reservationists has also moved to Delhi and held demonstrations at Jantar Mantar.

This group also met BJP president Rajnath Singh last week to press for its demands.

Raje kept away from the proceedings on the first day of the national executive raising more eyebrows.

Back on agenda

The contentious issues of a uniform civil code and scrapping of Article 370 granting special status to Jammu and Kashmir are back on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) agenda ahead of the assembly and Lok Sabha elections due next year.

"Along with cultural nationalism, Article 370, uniform civil code and true secularism, we are committed to preserving national unity and integrity," BJP president Rajnath Singh stressed in his address.