Congress is misleading Gujjar community: BJP

DEHRADUN: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday criticized chief minister Harish Rawat of ‘misleading the Gujjar community’ in the state by installing a statue of deceased Congress leader Rajesh Pilot.
BJP general secretary Jyoti Gairola said instead of solving real problems of the Gujjars, the chief minister is trying to woo the electorate through such measures.
“The Gujjar community is hurt due to the shoddy manner in which their sugarcane farmers have been ignored by the Congress government and installing Rajesh Pilot’s statute is nothing but a political move by the chief minister,” Gairola said.
The region has a substantial population of Gujjars mainly involved in farming. There are 11 assembly constituencies in Haridwar out of which five are mainly dominated by Gujjars - Bhagwanpur, Manglore, Jhabera, Lakshar and Khanpur.
Gujjar leader Dinesh Pawar said, “No development has taken place in the region and all the communities like Gujjars, Dalits and Jats are upset with the ruling party.”
The Congress, however, downplayed the entire issue and said, “It is unfortunate that the BJP leaders see politics in this. Rajesh Pilot ji was our leader and installing his statute should not be made a political issue,” said chief minister’s media advisor, Surender Kumar.