Gujjar stir: Impasse persists

The fresh round of talks between Gujjar leader Kirori Singh Bainsla, spearheading the stir for 5% quota for the community in state jobs, and the Rajasthan government failed to break the deadlock today.

The impasse persisted as Bainsla remained adamant on his demand to halt the recruitment drive to be launched by the Ashok Gehlot government to fill up nearly 80,000 posts under the existing arrangement.

The Gujjar leader and government's emissary Jitendra Singh, who is also the energy minister, held talks here for over an hour to arrive at an agreement on the quota and other issues.

The fresh parleys had failed to end the stalemate, Dr Roopsingh, a prominent Gujjar leader, told PTI.

He said alternatives were being worked out, adding these included freezing the recruitment till the high court gave its final verdict on the issue or adding the five per quota in existing vacancies.

The Gujjars, who are on warpath, continued their stir at several places in the state in support of their demands.

Complying with the high court directive, the Rajasthan government yesterday set up a seven-member committee, headed by retired high court judge IS Irani, to examine all aspects of the Gujjar demand for quota in government jobs.