Gujjar leader Col. Kirori Singh Bainsla started a dharna on Friday along with his supporters on the railway tracks at malarna dungar in Sawai Madhopur district, demanding reservation.
The agitation by Gujjar leaders seeking 5 per cent reservation entered the second day with several trains being cancelled due to the protests. The protest continued despite members of a committee formed by the Rajasthan government started talks with Gujjars on Saturday.
State tourism minister Vishvendra Singh, IAS officer Neeraj K Pawan and IG Bhupendra Sahu reached the spot where the protesters led by Gujjar leader Kirori Singh Bainsla blocked railway tracks. Singh addressed the community and tried to pacify them, but to no avail.
Saying that the government was aware about their issue, Singh suggested that a delegation of the community hold talks with the government on Sunday at any suitable place.
Bainsla, who is staging his dharna along with supporters on the railway tracks in Malarna Dungar of Swai Madhopur district, said he will not move till five per cent reservation was given. "I can promise you that not a blade of grass will move, I am sitting here" Bainsla said replying to Singh.
Owing to the rail roko protest, over two dozen trains have been affected on the Delhi-Mumbai route. West Central Railway informed that 22 trains have been either been partially cancelled or have been diverted. These include Mumbai Central-New Delhi express, Ahmedabad Nizamuddin express, Thiruvananthapuram Nizamuddin Rajadhani express which have either been partially cancelled or their routes have been diverted.
Meanwhile North Western Railway (NWR) has opened a booth to assist and provide information on train cancellation and route change. They have opened a helpline — 2201403 — to help keep the passengers informed about the developments.
Gujjar leader Col. Kirori Singh Bainsla started a dharna on Friday along with his supporters on the railway tracks at malarna dungar in Sawai Madhopur district, demanding reservation.
The agitation comes nearly a month after 10 per cent quota for the economically weaker sections in the general category in jobs and education was cleared by parliament. The move was introduced as a constitutional amendment, passed in parliament and enacted in a matter of days. On Friday ,the government had formed a three-member committee comprising cabinet ministers Raghu Sharma, Vishvendra Singh and Master Bhanwar Lal to lead talks with the Gujjars.
Gujjars are presently getting one per cent reservation under the legal limit of 50 per cent under the most backward category in addition to the reservation for Other Backward Classes.
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