Gujjar outfit to observe hunger strike ahead of PM visit

A Gujjar outfit today threatened to observer hunger strike ahead of Prime Minister's proposed visit to the state on June 25 against Centre's "poor response" to the burning issues of Gujjars and Bakkerwals.

"Bhartiya Gujjaar Mahasabha will observe a 24 hour hunger strike from June 17 at Rajouri," its chief Eshfaq-Ur-Rehman Poswal told reporters here.

The Mahasabha activists had submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister last month seeking fulfilment of their demands of political reservation, increase the funds under tribal sub-plan, quota for professional education and jobs in the state.

"All the successive governments and political parties have used the STs as mere vote bank for their political interests", he said, adding that they pinned hope on the Centre as they have lost all faith in the state government.