The Banjara community who claims to have a population of six crore, living in different parts of the country and included in the scheduled category in different states, has demanded representation in Lok Sabha. In his appeal to senior BJP leaders Swaroop Singh, BJP Banjara Cell president has urged the party leadership to nominate at least one candidate from the Banjara community for Lok Sabha elections just as the party has been nominating candidates from certain specific castes ?Jatav, Valmiki, Korie, Dhobi and even Khatik. ?The Banjara community is almost forgotten for such representations whereas it has been strengthening the BJP since 1991when its organisation-the Rashtriya Banjara Sangharsh Samiti, merged with the party? he said. Shri Swaroop Singh pointed out that there were 58 lakh people of his community in Uttar Pradesh and the community plays a decisive role in electing BJP candidates. He said that out of 80 Lok Sabha seats, 13 seats were reserved for scheduled castes in the state and if one seat were to be given to his community, the neglected and deprived Banjara people would be encouraged to join the mainstream.
?The BJP has a vision to make India a developed nation by 2020 and it is possible only when all communities of the society are brought at par on the plank of development,? he pointed out. (FOC)
