Dec 16, 2007, 16:44 GMT
Jaipur, Dec 16 (IANS) Rajasthan minister Kirori Lal Meena, a leader of the Meena community, Sunday resigned in a move aimed at exerting pressure on the Vasundhara Raje government a day before a committee submits a report on the Gujjar community's demand for Scheduled Tribe status.
Meena, food and civil supplies minister, sent his resignation letter to the chief minister and the state president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) through his wife.
'I have handed over my husband's resignation letter to state party chief Mahesh Sharma and also left one at the chief minister's residence. We are following the directives of our community leaders,' Golma Devi, wife of the minister, told IANS here.
The high-powered Justice Jasraj Chopra Committee, set up by the state government in June to look into the Gujjar's demand, is to submit its report Monday.
Gujjars, currently belonging to the Other Backward Classes (OBC), held protests all over Rajasthan from May 29 to June 4 demanding their inclusion into the Scheduled Tribe category that would give them better job and educational opportunities.
The Meenas, the influential community among the Scheduled Tribes in the state, are opposed to the Gujjars' inclusion in the same category, fearing dilution of the benefits.
A Meena community leader, on condition of anonymity, told IANS that other community leaders were set to resign from the government.
© 2007 Indo-Asian News Service
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