Gujjar stir in Rajasthan enters 5th day, trains affected, Internet snapped

The Gujjar agitation in Rajasthan over quota in jobs and education entered the fifth consecutive day on Tuesday as agitators blocked roads and railway tracks. As many as three trains were cancelled and two diverted in the Sawai Madhopur district of the state. The district collector issued a notice to Gujjar leader Kirori Singh Bainsla asking him to vacate railway tracks. The sit-in has affected the movement of over 300 trains through the region so far. Internet services in the Sawai Madhopur district have been suspended till Wednesday.

Demanding 5 per cent reservation in government jobs and educational institutes, the Gujjar community members blocked National Highway-11, which connects Jaipur with Agra, in Rajasthan's Dausa district on Monday as well. The Jaipur-Kota Highway in Tonk and a few other roads in Karauli and Sawai Madhopur districts were also blocked.

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot reiterated that the agitating Gujjar community members vacate the railway tracks and come forward to hold dialogue.

He said the state government will do whatever it possibly can to address their issues and they should raise their demand before the Centre.

“I want to appeal to the community members to hold talks. Whatever will be possible at the state government’s level will be done. They should also raise their demand before the Centre,” Gehlot told reporters in Jaipur.

RELATED

He said that the one per cent reservation the community was getting at present was because of the decision taken by the former Congress government led by him.

“Several trains have been cancelled, many diverted. It is a loss for the country and its economy. People are suffering and I would appeal them to hold talks,” the chief minister said.

Bainsla, who along with his supporters began the indefinite sit-in on railway tracks in Malarna-Dungar of Sawai Madhopur on Friday evening, has so far refused to back off.

“We will not move from the tracks unless the announcement is made. There is only one demand, that is five per cent reservation,” Bainsla’s son Vijay Singh said.

(With PTI inputs)