BAYANA: Talks between Gujjars, who are on a warpath on job reservation issue, and Rajasthan government on Sunday failed to break the deadlock with protesters unrelenting on their demand for five per cent quota even as they continued blockade of certain rail and road routes in the state.
Gujjar leader Col (retd) Kirori Singh Bainsla rejected the government's offer to set up a committee with him as one of the members to resolve the reservation issue.
"I want a permanent solution to this because I do not want to leave things half-way," he said threatening to intensify the stir if their demands were not met within seven days.
Energy Minister Jitendra Singh, an emissary of the state government, said the Gehlot administration is committed to reservation for the Gujjars but before that it has to undertake a quantifiable data of nomadic tribes who come under the five per cent category.
"Although the High Court has given a year's time, the government may finish the task much earlier," he said.
The government is ready to set up a committee with Bainsla as one of its members to resolve the stand-off, the minister said.
The first round of government-Gujjar talks was held at Pilukapura, the epicentre of the stir, some 11-km from Bayana in Bharatpur district.
Terming the meeting as inconclusive, Bainsla said the agitation would be called off only after the state government fulfilled their quota demand.
He set a deadline of seven days to the government for meeting their demands and threatened to escalate the agitation if this was not done.
"You (minister) are always welcome here but when you come here next time, come with a written order on reservation," Bainsla said.
The minister offered to set up a committee with Bainsla as one of its members to monitor the quantifiable data collection exercise as directed by the High Court.
On day seven of their stir, Gujjars attempted to block more rail and road routes in the state.
"Protesters tried to block narrow gauge rail lines in Bari area but the security forces thwarted them and controlled the situation," Circle Officer, Bari, Manvendra Singh told PTI.
"They also tried to block Basedi road but could not do so due to the presence of the Rapid Action Force," he said.
There is no movement of trains on Jaipur-Delhi, Delhi-Mumbai, Jaipur-Kota and Ajmer-Indore tracks in Dausa, Bharatpur, Bhilwara and Tonk districts respectively as the Gujjars continued to occupy the tracks.
After an hour-long discussion, the Minister, who described the talks as cordial, went back to Jaipur to brief Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.
Gujjar leader Roop Singh, a close aide of Bainsla, said a bandh was observed in Alwar and Sawaimadhopur.
Nearly a thousand agitators blocked Jaipur-Agra NH-11 at Patoli near Mahua in Dausa district.
"Around 1,000 Gujjars have blocked the highway and the vehicles are not plying," Deepak Yadav, SHO Mahua, said.
Agitators also disrupted traffic on Jaipur-Kota NH-12 in Bundi district.
However, there is no report of any violence, police said.
In a relief to passengers and railways, reports said agitating Gujjars in Bhilwara are vacating the Ajmer-Indore rail route this evening after their meeting with district administration.
They, however, have not called off the agitation and said that the stir will continue, but without causing any public inconvenience till their demands are met.
"Gujjars agreed to carry on peacefully without causing any further problem to people, and are now vacating the tracks after our meeting with them," Pukhraj Sen, ADM, Administration said.
"The Gujjar leaders have submitted a memorandum to grant them reservation and said their agitation will continue," he said.
Three rail routes are still blocked by the agitators and it may take some more time in restoring normal train movement on the vacated route.
Later, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot reviewed the situation and discussed the issue with ministers Jitendra Singh, Shanti Dhariwal and B K Sharma at the CMO here.
"Singh briefed Gehlot on the first round of talks with Gujjar leaders, while law and order situation were also reviewed in the meeting," an official said tonight.
Senior officials, including Chief Secretary S Ahemad and DGP Harish Meena, were also present in the meeting, he said.
Gujjars seek PM, Sonia intervention
JAMMU: Gujjars on Sunday sought intervention of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi to "provide justice" to their community in Rajasthan.
"We offer full support to them in their ongoing struggle for grant of ST status. We urge the intervention of Prime Minister and UPA chairperson for providing them social justice by granting ST status to them," said Tribal Research and Cultural Foundation (TRCF), a Gujjar organisation in Jammu and Kashmir.
The community is struggling hard to achieve equal rights in J-K and Himachal Pradesh, TRCF secretary Javid Rahi said here.
Gujjars residing in twelve states should be treated equally and provided equal opportunities, he said.
He also appealed all right groups, intellectuals and media to come forward and support Gujjars in their struggle to achieve their rights.
The group urged the Centre to take action on the basis of Justice Chopra Committee report.
They alleged that the Gujjars of Rajasthan have been deprived and denied of their basic rights.
Rahi also asked the Gujjars in the state to organise peaceful rallies and demonstrations at all district headquarters to express solidarity with their brethren in Rajasthan.