'Gujjar riot: Actual culprits to be punished'

Jaipur, Jun 7: Rajasthan Home Minister Gulab Chand Kataria today denied allegations of violation of settlement between the state government and Gujjar leadership which led to an end to the pitched Gujjar agitation for ST status and assured that the government would punish only actual culprits involved in the weeklong agitation.

Talking to sources here Mr Kataria said that no criminal case had been filed against any Gujjar activist after the peace agreement between the two sides on June 4.

He said the cases which were being referred to in the media reports had been filed during the agitation May 29 onwards immediately after the respective incidents.

During talks between Gujjar delegation, led by Col Kirodi Singh Bainsla and the state government, led by Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, the government's stand on the cases was made clear, he added.

Mr Kataria said the government had categorically conveyed to the Gujjar leadership that the investigation and legal course of action in cases against those who had committed serious crimes including killings, huge damages to public properties, arsons at the police stations and other offices,burnings of vehicles and snatching of policemen's arms, would continue.

However, no innocent would be booked into cases, the government had assured them, the home minister said.

As far as the cases against Gujjar Reservation Action Committee convenor Col Bainsla is concerned, the home minister clarified that the case was registered on May 29 itself.

He said Col Bainsla is named in the case as accused only as a convention according to which leader in such agitations is named as an accused in FIR.

Mr Kataria said this was mere a practice and the charges against Col Bainsla would be framed only if his actual role or indulgence is proved during police investigation.

He said that naming in FIR did not mean holding one as culprit.

Similar would be the status of the other Gujjar leaders who were a party in the agitation, the home minister added.

Around 250 cases have been lodged by the officials in various parts of the state in connection with killings, violence, arson and damage to railway and other public property during the week-long Gujjar agitation since May 29. Over 200 people have been arrested in connection with such incidents.

Agitation leader Col Bainsla has also been looked in a case of murder and dacoity.

Col Bainsla's associate Dr Roop Singh has charged the government with working against the spirit of peace settlement and said the police was lodging fake cases against the Gujjar leaders and meting out atrocities against Gujjar youths.

As many as 25 people were killed in violence and police firing at various places in the state during the agitation. Besides this, at least 219 people were injured and huge damages to railway and public properties was also rendered by protestors during the agitation.

The Supreme Court taking a serious note of the situation arising out of the Gujjar agitation in Rajasthan and other states had issued notices to the Director General of Police of Rajasthan and other concerned states.

UNI