Gujjar agitation enters day 3, continue to block railway tracks in Rajasthan

New Delhi, Feb 10: Gujjar protesters continued their sit-in on the rail tracks in Rajasthan's Sawai Madhopur district for the third day on Sunday, refusing to back off from their quota demand even after a government delegation met them there.

The protesters are demanding five per cent reservation to Gujjars, Raika-Rebari, Gadia Luhar, Banjara and Gadaria communities in government jobs and educational institutions.

The blockade by Gujjar Arakshan Sangarsh Samiti chief Kirori Singh Bainsla and his supporters has forced the West Central Railway (CWR) to divert, cancel or partially terminate nearly 200 trains in the last two days.

A state government team, which included Tourism Minister Vishvendra Singh and senior IAS officer Neeraj K Pawan, met Bainsla and his supporters, but no agreement could be reached. "We will continue the dharna on the rail tracks. No compromise was made with the government delegation. We want a 5 percent reservation order," said Bainsla.

Currently, the five communities are getting one-per cent separate reservation under the most-backward category in addition to the Other Backward Class (OBC) quota.