Gujjar protest; SC questions police inaction

New Delhi, June 5: Taking suo motu cognisance of the heavy loss and damage caused to public property by Gujjars in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan for inclusion in ST category in Rajasthan, the Supreme Court today sought an explanation from the head of the police of the four states regarding action taken by them against the agitators.

Expressing serious concern and anguish at total ''inaction'' of the law enforcing agencies in the states, a Vacation Bench, comprising Justices Arijit Pasayat and D K Jain, issued notice to the DGPs of Rajasthan, UP, Haryana and Delhi Police Commissioner to explain their conduct latest by June 18, the next date of hearing.

The court said heavy losses seemed to have been caused to the public property, particularly public transport like buses and trains, and held the four officials prima facie guity of dereliction of duty.

Gujjars called off their seven-day-long agitation yesterday after having been assured by Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje that a three-member committee headed by a retired High Court judge will be appionted to look into their grievances and would summit its report within three months. A large number of buses were set afire and railway tracks damaged by the protestors, virtually disrupting the transport system in the states concerned and left thousands of passengers stranded for days at railway stations and bus stands.

The apex court also apointed Senior Cousel Rajiv Dhawan as an a micus curiae.

UNI