Headway made in Gujjar deadlock: situation tense but peaceful

Jaipur, May 29 (UNI) The process to end the standoff between the Rajasthan government and agitating Gujjars made headway today with BJP MP from Bharatpur Vishwendra Singh offering to mediate and the government deciding to conduct post-mortem of 14 victims of Sikandara firing whose bodies were lying at SMS Hospital here since May 24.

The first anniversary of the first phase of the Gujjar reservation agitation which had taken toll of 26 lives on this day last year, by and large passed off peacefully with no major untoward incident reported from any place.

A brief programme was held in Patoli-Pipalkhera today to pay tributes to the victims of police firing during the first phase of Gujjar movement on this day last year. Similar programmes to pay tributes to the deceased were also held at the Pillukapura-Karvari in Bayana region and Sikandara in Dausa district where the Gujjars have been sitting at dharna for past about a week.

Bandhs and rasta roko campaign continued on the seventh day today at several places in Jaipur, Tonk, Alwar and Bundi districts.

Hectic activities were witnessed at the Chief Minister's official residence in the Civil Lines here today.

A meeting of several members of Rajasthan Cabinet and BJP leaders including party General Secretary Gopinath Munde, spokesman Prakash Javadekar, senior leader former UP Minister Kalraj Mishra and party state President Om Prakash Mathur was held at the CM residence to discuss future course of action in respect of ongoing Gujjar agitation.

The meeting reportedly decided to step up efforts for resumption of dialogue with the agitating Gujjar leaders and to conduct postmortem of bodies which were lying at the SMS Hospital here.

Scion of Bharatpur royal family Vishwendra Singh met Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje and offered his role in bringing the Gujjar leaders to the table for talks.

Mr Singh told UNI later that he expected that the Gujjar issue would be resolved soon.

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