Gujjar stir: Bainsla softens stand, several trains affected

Bharatpur/Jaipur, May 22: Softening his stand on talks with Rajasthan government over quota issue, Gujjar leader Kirori Singh Bainsal today said his team was ready to meet its special envoy tomorrow, as their agitation continued to affect movement of several trains for the second day.

As hundreds of agitators squatted on tracks along the Delhi-Mumbai route, members of Gujjar community earlier in the day rejected the state government's offer for talks on their demand for five per cent quota in jobs, Several trains have been diverted while road traffic on Bharatpur-Hindaun road has also been affected, police said.

Bainsla announced his readiness to hold parleys after holding talks with his community members at a meeting in Bharatpur during which he discussed a letter sent by the government inviting their leaders for talks either in Jaipur or Bharatpur.

A district administration official had handed over the letter to Bainsla earlier in the day in which the government offered to hold talks but the offer was initially not accepted by Gujjars, who were demanding that its emissaries come to the rail tracks at Pilupura for the parleys.

"We are ready for talks, if not on tracks, then in Bayana town. Bainsla took the decision after discussing our community people and a delegation would go to Bayana tomorrow," Himmat Singh, the spokesperson of Gujjar Arakshan Sangharsh Samiti, said.

Singh said that the district administration will be informed about the composition of the delegation. Bainsla has deputed three persons including himself to lead the delegation of 23 members, he added.

There was no immediate confirmation from the government about the proposed meeting with Gujjars in Bayana tomorrow. District Collector Ravi Jain said that he was yet to receive any formal intimation from Gujjar leaders.

The Gujjars began their agitation yesterday demanding 5 per cent reservation in government jobs under the legal limit of 50 per cent.

The agitators are squatting on the Delhi-Mumbai rail tracks between Dumaria and Fatehsinghpura stations of Kota Division of West Central railway forcing railway authorities to cancel and divert some trains.

14 trains have been cancelled, while 16 other trains have been diverted via alternate routes, according to a railway bulletin. The agitators squatting on the railway tracks have reportedly damaged the tracks by removing some fish plates.

PTI