Twitter
Advertisement

Gujjars call of 8-day-old agitation after government promises them 5% quota in govt jobs

The agitating Gujjars were also assured by the state government that a recommendation will be made to the Centre to get the legislation listed in the ninth Schedule of the Constitution.

Latest News
article-main
FacebookTwitterWhatsappLinkedin

Gujjars on Thursday night called off their 8-day long agitation that had paralysed train services after the Rajasthan government assured them of bringing a fresh bill to accord them 5% job reservation.

The agitating Gujjars were also assured by the state government that a recommendation will be made to the Centre to get the legislation listed in the ninth Schedule of the Constitution.

The government and Gujjar leaders reached a consensus on eight points after 5 rounds of talks and signed an agreement at their final meeting tonight.

The meeting was attended by Gujjar leader Kirori Singh Bainsla and his delegation at the secretariat after which the announcement to call off the agitation was announced at a joint press conference.

We will introduce a fresh bill to grant 5 % reservation in the next assembly session and this will be forwarded to the Centre to get it listed in the ninth schedule of the Constitution," Parliamentary Affairs Minister Rajendra Rathore said.

A committee will also be formed to decide on the modalities of the bill, he said.

Bainsla thanked the Government and said that their demands have been met and expressed the hope that the agreement will be executed in letter and spirit.

Announcing that their agitation is called off, Bainsla said he will ask his people to clear the railway tracks and highway where they have been squatting disrupting rail and road traffic. 

"I am happy to announce that our 8-9 year-long struggle has reached a conclusive stage. I am confident that the community will get justice after this development.

"I also apologise to people for the problems they had to face due to the agitation," said an excited Bainsla, who is a retired army officer.

The eight-point agreement provides for, among others, the constitution of a committee to decide on the modalities of the fresh reservation Bill, review of the agreement and related process on weekly basis, preparation of the draft of the Bill in joint discussion with legal experts and Gujjar leaders to avoid any legal complications.

"The committee will review the agreement on a weekly basis. The draft off the Bill will be prepared after consultation with legal experts and Gujjar leaders so that it is not challenged in the court of law.

"After clearing it in a Cabinet meeting, we will introduce it in the next assembly session," said Rathore.

In 2008, the then state government led by Vasundhara Raje had enacted a legislation which provided for 5% reservation to Gujjars and other communities under Specially Backward Class (SBC) and 14%  reservation under Economically Backward Class category (EBC). But that Act got stuck in legal hurdles.

Social Justice Minister Arun Chaturvedi said that the government will now bring separate Bills and the modalities will be decided by the committee, which will be formed soon.

The state government has also agreed to review the pending cases against Gujjar leaders and people of the community.

Bainsla said he will go to thank Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje and after that to Pilukapura in Bharatpur to tell the people about the development.

He said that the tracks and highways will be cleared tonight.

Gujjars were demanding 5 % reservation under the legal limit of 50 %, which was denied by the government yesterday upon apprehensions that any classification within the 50 % will harm social harmony.

The government at yesterday's meeting had argued that 5 % reservation beyond the 50 % limit was also possible legally following which the Gujjar leaders agreed to a fresh round of talks for which Bainsla arrived here this afternoon.

Gujjars began their agitation on Thursday last week and blocked Delhi-Mumbai railway tracks in Bharatpur and later blocked Agra-Jaipur national highway in Dausa and a state highway in Sawaimadhopur leading to the cancellation and diversion of many trains and disruption on road traffic.

Four districts of Bharatpur, Karauli, Sawaimadhopur and Dausa were affected due to the agitation.

Rajasthan High Court had yesterday pulled up the state government and directed it to evacuate the agitators following which the home minister gave directions to the police and administration of the four districts to comply with the court direction, but despite that the situation at ground zero remained unchanged.

The situation is now returning to normal in the areas affected by the stir after Bainsla called off the agitation. 

The breakthrough came after a fresh round of talks began this evening between the Gujjar delegation led by Bainsla and a committee of three Rajasthan ministers.

The agitators had blocked rail tracks and roads in three districts for over a week to press for 5 % quota in government jobs.

Members of the community blockaded the railway tracks in Pilukapura in Bharatpur as also the National Highway 11 at Sikandara in Dausa along with a state highway in Sawaimadhopur.

Earlier on Thursday, the Centre said it was sending 4,500 paramilitary personnel to Rajasthan to assist the state government in handling the agitation that has hit traffic on the Delhi-Mumbai rail route and Jaipur-Agra national highway.

Rajasthan High Court had on Wednesday directed the officials to restore traffic on Jaipur-Agra national highway and summoned the DGP and Chief Secretary on Thursday to explain what action was taken by the administration to clear the tracks and the highways.

Rajasthan government had yesterday invited the Gujjars for another round of talks with the assurance of a fresh formula to resolve the impasse after it told them that it would not be possible to accord 5 % quota in jobs within the legal limit of 50 %. It had said that a new classification within the limit would have adverse consequences for social harmony.

However, the government suggested that there was scope for 5 % reservation, legally, beyond the 50 % limit.

Find your daily dose of news & explainers in your WhatsApp. Stay updated, Stay informed-  Follow DNA on WhatsApp.
Advertisement

Live tv

Advertisement
Advertisement