Gujjars call off quota stir after govt’s assurance

JAIPUR: The Gujjar community on Saturday called off their eightday agitation after Tourism Minister Vishvendra Singh handed over a draft of reservation bill to the Gurjar leaders on the railway tracks at Malarna Dungar. Train services on Delhi-mumbai have been resumed after the agitation was withdrawn.

Gujjar leader Col. (retd) Kirori Singh Bainsla announced all agitators to just withdraw stir and open all railway tracks and national highways after he and other leaders read the draft.

In a tweet, chief minister Ashok Gehlot welcomed the withdrawal of the agitation. He said, “Whenever the Gujjar community had held agitations, we (Congress) resolved the issues through dialogues and talks. We have been successful without using force.”

Taking a dig at BJP, he said that even today it pains us that 72 Gujjars had lost their lives in police firing under the BJP regime.

He said whenever there have been agitations in BJP rule, Congress leaders have appealed the agitators to maintain peace. However, it is unfortunate that whenever agitations took place in Congress rule, the BJP leaders always provoked them. This is the difference in thinking of Congress and BJP, he added.

The government has assured that if the bill faces any legal problems, then the state government will immediately interfere and extend support to the community.

Tourism minister Vishvendra Singh and IAS officer Neeraj K KOTA : Railway traffic on Delhi-mumbai railway track passing through Kota railway division resumed on Saturday after Gujjar agitators left the blockade from railway tracks between Malarna and Nimodo stations in Sawai Madhopur which was blocked for the last nine days over reservation demand. As soon as the Gujjar agitators left the railway tracks, the Kota railway administration repaired the damaged tracks for resumption of railway traffic on DelhiMumbai route. HTC

Pawan had been camping in Sawai Madhopur since last eight days and were trying to resolve the stalemate.

Singh said, “I had come here in Sawai Madhopur to talk with agitators within 24 hours of Gurjar stir and I promised to solve the issue. State government has fulfilled demands of Gurjars.”

Bainsla said “We are satisfied with the bill passed by the government to give 5% reservation. Chief minister Ashok Gehlot assured me on phone to carry on all efforts to save bill of reservation if it faces any legal hurdle.”

The draft was signed by Gujjar Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti and the Rajasthan government. The samiti president Col. (retd) Kirori Singh Bainsla and tourism minister Vishvendra Singh signed the draft.