Gehlot govt throws Gujjar quota ball in Centre’s court
AGITATION Minister Vishvendra Singh reaches the protest spot, invites them to talks table
BHARATPUR: The first round of talks between the government and the Gujjars on Saturday remained inconclusive as they rejected the government invite for talks, while tourism minister Vishvendra Singh assured that the government is committed to giving them 5% reservation.
Singh reached the spot at Malarna Dungar station where Gujjars began their sit-in and invited them to talks table. Gujjars rejected the government offer, saying talks would be held on the tracks in the open. Talks will continue on Sunday; minister Raghu Sharma or minister Bhanwarlal Meghwal could join the dialogue.
As the Gujjars continue to block the railway tracks at Malarna Dungar station in Sawai Madhopur since Friday evening, trains were diverted and cancelled and some exams to be held on Sunday were also cancelled.
The government came into action and formed a committee comprising ministers Singh, Raghu Sharma and Bhanwarlal Meghwal a n d I AS Nee r a j Pawan. Gujjar leader Kirori Singh Bainsla said the government would have to come to the venue of the protest for talks.
Chief minister Ashok Gehlot, in a bind over the Gujjar reservation issue, put the ball in the Centre’s court.
Gehlot, who was in Delhi for a meeting to discuss Congress candidates for the Lok Sabha elections, said the state government has done its bit on reservation and now the demand can only be fulfilled through an amendment in the constitution for which the Gujjars should approach the prime minister and union home minister.
The BJP criticised the government for failing to fulfil its promise of reservation to Gujjars. Former BJP minister Arun Chaturvedi said the state gove r nment was s hi r ki ng its responsibility and putting the onus on the Centre.
In Malarna Dungar, Singh suggested that the Gujjars form a delegation for talks with the government representatives that could be held in Jaipur on Sunday. He said the CM had asked him to meet the Gujjars and listen to their issues and resolve them.
Addressing the protestors, Singh said talks in the commotion would not be feasible. He said the government would hold detailed talks with the Gujjar delegation. “We will hold talks at length and discuss all issues point by point,” he said. How- ever the Gujjars refused Singh’s suggestion. Talks are to be held on three issues of 5% reservation, backlog in government jobs and increasing creamy layer to 8.5 lakh.
Earlier, Bainsla’s son Vijay told reporters that Gujjars were feeling cheated and were very angry.
“Why should we talk to the Centre? The Congress i s i n power in the state. And it is the Congress which had in its manifesto promised reservation to us. Now after winning elections, they can’t dilly-dally. They should talk to the centre and fulfill our demand. If they can’t t hen t hey s hould accept i t openly.”
He added that the Gujjars want reservation and they don’t care whether the BJP, Congress, state or Centre gives it.
He said the government is sensitive to the Gujjar reserva- tion issue and our doors are always open for talks. The government has done its bit on the reservation issue. The 5% additional reservation is a matter left to the Centre.
Meanwhile, due to ongoing Gujjar agitation, the six trains were cancelled, while ten trains were diverted/partially cancelled on Saturday.
According to the information, Hazrat Nizamuddin-ahmedabad, Hazrat NizamuddinUdaipur, Udaipur- Hazrat Nizamuddin, Bandra TerminusDehradun (19019), Bandra terminus- Dehradun e xpress (19023) and Kota-agra Fort were cancelled.
Firozpur cantt-mumbai Central express, Ahmedabad-samta express, Bandra Terminus-amritsar, Ajmer Ranchi express, Kota-samta express, AjmerRanchi, Rat l a m- Mathura express, Kota-nizamuddin express, Ratlam-agra Fort, Sawai Madhopur-mathura express and Jaipur-bayana express have been diverted/ partially cancelled.
Due to the ongoing stir, the Rajasthan subordinate and ministerial services selection board has postponed the direct recruitment of agriculture supervisor exam - 2018 and direct recruitment of supervisor ( women) ( Anganwari Worker Quota) -2018.
Board’s chairman Dr BL Jatawat on Saturday said the board had scheduled these exams on Sunday (February 10) at Jaipur, Kota and Ajmer districts, but has decided to postpone them due to some unavoidable reasons. After deciding the new date for these exams, candidates will be informed through leading newspapers and on the board’s website on www.rsmssb.rajasthan.gov.in.