Gujjar agitation snowballs into Gujjar-Meena clash

Jaipur, Jun 2 (UNI) The ongoing Gujjar agitation for inclusion of the community in the Scheduled Tribe category has now snowballed into a clash between the Gujjar and Meena communities even as efforts for finding peaceful solution to the five-day-old pitched strife were on.

A violent clash between the people of the two communities in Lalsot left at least four people dead and several injured as their differences took a violent turn in at least three places yesterday.

Later, during the fourth round of talks between the four-member-group of ministers(GoMs) and the agitating Gujjar leaders, the Meena community again came in the the way of finalisation of agreement formula.

According to reports, during the talks here last night the GoMs and Gujjars reportedly worked out a formula for the satisfaction of Gujjars proposing their inclusion in ST list by increasing the reservation quota to STs from present 12 per cent to 18 per cent.

Food and Civil Supply Minister Kirodi Lal Meena was summoned for consultation on the formula but he reportedly expressed his categorical dissent and threatened to resign along with his fellow Meena ministers and MLAs if any change or inclusion was made in the existing ST list.

Earlier yesterday, a delegation of Meena MLAs led by Mr Kirodi Lal Meena had met Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje to oppose the demand of inclusion of Gujjars into the ST list.

The next round of talks was expected later this afternoon.

The Gujjar leaders have expressed their intention to have direct talks with the Chief Minister.

Meanwhile, the situation in different violence-affected areas of the state from where a total of 25 casualties have so far been reported during the past five days, continued to be tense.

The Delhi-Jaipur-Highway has been reopened from yesterday and the authorities have assured that they would try to evacuate pilgrims stranded near Balaji Shrine in Dausa district for the past five days.

UNI