A sliver of hope for a quick end to the agitation between Gujjars and the Rajasthan government was dashed with the two sides deadlocked over the choice of venue for crucial talks.
JAIPUR/BAYANA: A sliver of hope for a quick end to the fortnight-long stalemate between agitating Gujjars and the Rajasthan government was dashed on Saturday with the two sides deadlocked over the choice of venue for crucial talks.
The stand-off continued after Vasundhra Raje government rejected the Gujjar Arakshan Sangarsh Samiti's proposal that Bayana be made the venue for parleys over its demand to grant Scheduled Tribe status to Gujjars. But, the Samiti insisted that Bayana be the venue for the talks. The violent agitation by Gujjars since May 23 has claimed the lives of 43 persons in police firing.
The government conveyed its decision that talks will be held only in Jaipur in a letter to Samiti patron Kirori Singh at Piloopura village in Bharatpur district through the government's chief negotiatpr S N Thanvi.
The government asked when it would be convenient for Gujjar representatives or a delegation to come to the state capital to discuss the issue of according ST/denotified tribe status to the community and sought a reply from Bainsla at the earliest, officials said in Jaipur.
The officials said the state government was prepared to begin talks "without any delay". Gujjar leader Kirori Singh Bainsla, patron of the Samiti, had earlier sent a brief letter to a government representative offering to hold talks.
But shortly after the government sent a letter that talks will be held in Jaipur , Bainsla stuck to the stand that only Bayana block in Bharatpur district will be the venue.
"We will only talk in Bayana. We will not go to Jaipur," Bainsla said after a community 'mahapanchayat' convened to discuss government's rejection of the community's proposal for talks in Bayana.
Congress MPs Sachin Pilot and Awatar Singh Bhadana meanwhile arrived at Sikandra town in Dausa district where bodies of 20 protesters have been kept since early this week for cremation. They met the bereaved family members amid tight security,
The agitating Gujjars have been demanding Pilot and Bhadana should visit Sikandra town. Pilot stressed that talks was the only way for a solution to the demands made by the Gujjars.
Both the MPs sought prior written permission of the Dausa collector and Superintendent of Police, an aide of Pilot said.
He said the two MPs were asked to reach Dausa/Sikandra via Jaipur, not via Bandikui by the district administration.
Pilot, Congress MP from Rajasthan, has said earlier that he wanted a respectable and dignified cremation for the victims of May 24 clash.
On Friday, Gujjars decided to hold talks with the Rajasthan government at Bayana raising hopes of an early end to their agitation.
The decision to hold talks was taken at a meeting of top Gujjar leaders, including some leading intellectuals.
"Everything will happen according to expectations," said Bainsala.
"We have only one demand: that the state government should send a recommendation granting ST status to Gujjars," he said vowing to continue the agitation till the demand was met.
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