Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje has adopted a softer tone to tackle the Gujjar agitation.
She’s using novel means to buy peace with them like peace pamphlets, SMSs to people requesting for peace and full page advertisements in newspapers.
Meanwhile Gujjars say her efforts are little more than political gimmicks.
But just two days before it was a very different Raje. ”If the agitators break the law and cause problems in the state, we won’t spare them. And nobody will be harsher than us,” she had warned.
As the army moved in phones were jammed in the Gujjar areas but the Gujjars refused to retreat.
Now many in her own party have begun questioning her handling of the agitation. Her critics say that Raje’s reported promise to get ST status for Gujjars has now become a fishbone for the party.
Harishankar Bhabra, former Deputy CM, Rajasthan and senior BJP leader said, ”When I wrote the BJP’s manifesto I did not include a word about Gujjar reservations. When I asked the Chief minister if she made any promise, she has denied it. But my biggest objection is why did she not issue a strong and public denial about these allegations.”
Despite Raje’s tough and peaceful tactics, Gujjars have refused to back down and break the deadlock over the agitation. Convincing Gujjars will be the toughest test of Raje’s political career.