Meena refuses to take back resignation

Rajasthan Food and Supply Minister Kirorilal Meena on Wednesday refused to withdraw his resignation, which he had submitted to Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje last Sunday, on the Gujjar issue.

Breaking his silence over the matter, Meena told a press conference in Jaipur that even if the chief minister requested him to take back his resignation, he would not do so.

Meena had submitted his resignation to Raje and state BJP President Mahesh Sharma through his wife a day prior to the submission of Chopra Committee's report, which turned down the Gujjar community's demand for inclusion in the Scheduled Tribe category.

Meena said that his resignation, tendered on December 15, was not a politically motivated stunt.

"I am under no pressure. I am giving up my ministerial office, car and other privileges as I am still emotionally and aesthetically hurt about the unconstitutional demand of Gujjars, whose agitation led to large scale violence and killing of 26 people in May-June this year," said Meena.

"I feel free to work and plan for the Meena samaj and it will be a new beginning in my political career," he said.

On the Chopra committee's report rejecting ST status to Gujjars, he said: "yeh na kisi ki jeet hai, na hi haar (it is neither victory for anybody, nor their defeat)".