Rajasthan Government replaces its police chief over Gujjar impasse

Jaipur, May 31 : The Rajasthan Government has sent the state's Director General of Police (DGP) A S Gill, on a long leave and entrusted the responsibilty to K S Bains, currently posted as special DG (Anti-Corruption Bureau),State Home Department sources said.

The replacement comes in wake of the ongoing Gujjar agitation in which the police force under Gill "could not control the situation", according to the Home Department.

Gill was not available for comment.

About 42 people have lost their lives in clashes between the Gujjars and the Rajasthan Police till Friday.

Meanwhile, the Gujjars under the leadership of Colonel (retd) Kirori Singh Bainsla who is spearheading the ongoing agitation for Scheduled Tribe status for the community passed a resolution expressing no confidence in the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) Government in Rajasthan on Friday.

The Gujjars have now sought the Centre's intervention to resolve the matter.

The situation in the 15 Gujjar agitation affected districts of Rajasthan continues to be tense. The State Government has already invoked the National Security Act (NSA) in the affected districts

Meanwhile, the Congress on Friday accused the Vasundhara Raje led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Government in Rajasthan of 'hoodwinking'on the Gujjar quota issue. Party spokesman Abhishek Manu Singhvi said that instead of fulfilling her poll pledge of providing Scheduled Tribe (ST) status for the community, she has sent report of the Jasraj Chopra Commission to the Centre "with a covering letter".

He also said that conferring ST status on the community is a state-specific exercise.

He asked the State Government to take a clear stand on the issue and fulfill the poll promise of providing the Gujjars with Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

CPM general secretary Prakash Karat demanded Raje's resignation citing what he called the "murderous record"of the State Government.

ANI