Rajasthan: Railways cancels 3 trains, diverts 29 others due to Gurjar agitation

In view of the Gurjar agitation in Rajasthan, the Railways has cancelled three trains and diverted 29 trains. According to ministry officials, Kota-Hazrat Nizamuddin, Dehradun-Kota and Hazrat Nizamuddin-Kota trains have been cancelled.

Led by Colonel Kirori Singh Bainsla and Vijay Bainsla, hundreds of protesters from the Gurjar community blocked the railway tracks in Pilupura and even uprooted the tracks to demand reservation in jobs and educational institutions.

Due to the protest, trains on the Delhi-Mumbai route have been stopped.

While talking to Zee Rajasthan, Colonel Bainsla said that the outline of the movement will now depend on the decision of the government. "I am waiting for Minister Ashok Chandna," he said.

On the other hand, it has been learned that Vijay Bainsla has rejected the government proposal put forward by Sanjay Goyal.

Earlier, protestors had blocked railway tracks in Bharatpur as part of their agitation demanding reservation in jobs.

"We postponed our protest midway in February last year due to Pulwama attack. For two years, we have been waiting for the government's decision but our demands remained unfulfilled. We blame the bureaucracy here. This time we have decided not to indulge in any table talks or dialogue with the government behind closed doors," Hardev Singh Paowta, a core committee member of Rajasthan Gurjar Community had told ANI.

Movement of roadways buses was stopped on Dausa, Bharatpur, Karauli, Dholpur and Hindaun routes, and road traffic movement entering from Uttar Pradesh was also affected due to the agitation.

Mobile Internet services also continue to remain suspended in some areas of the Alwar district that are dominated by the Gurjar community. The areas include Thanagaji, Narayanpur, Malakhera and Sadar police stations.

The Home Department on Saturday had evoked the National Security Act (NSA) in Bharatpur, Dholpur, Sawai Madhopur, Dausa, Tonk, Bundi, Jhalawar and Karauli districts.

On October 17, Gurjar leaders gave an ultimatum to the state government to accede to demands made by the community at a Mahapanchayat in Bharatpur or they would stage an agitation from November 1.

The Mahapanchayat had been called by Gurjar leader Kirori Singh Bainsla, where he was joined by other leaders from the community, including Himmat Singh, who had broken off from Bainsla.

Rajasthan government on October 26, 2018, passed a bill that increased the Other Backward Classes (OBC) quota from 21% to 26%.

In December 2018, the Rajasthan government also approved a 1% reservation for Gujjars and four other backward castes (OBCs).

These communities are getting a 1% separate reservation under the legal limit of 50% reservation meant for the most-backward category in addition to OBC reservation.