As talks fall through, Gujjars intensify quota agitation in Raj

The community members, who started the renewed agitation on Thursday last by disrupting rail traffic, blocked NH-11 at Dausa and a state highway in Sawaimadhopur district to build pressure on the state government, a day after their talks ended in a deadlock.

People belonging to the community blocked the Agra-Jaipur highway at Sikandara in Dausa and Sawaimadhopur-Sheopur state highway in the <g data-gr-id="40">Khandar</g> area of Sawaimadhopur district, police said.

Traffic on both the highways has been diverted to other roads and police force have been deployed around the area to maintain law and order, police added.

"Several hundred people blocked the highway at Sikandara this <g data-gr-id="30">morning,</g> while the Sawaimadhopur-Sheopur state highway is also blocked since last night," they said.

"We are intensifying the agitation after the government failed to offer any concrete plan to provide the community five per cent reservation under the legal limit of 50 per cent. Similar agitations would also be launched in other parts of the state if the government does not fulfill our demand," said Himmat Singh, spokesperson of the Gujjar Arakshan Sangharsh Samiti.

He said Saturday's meeting with three ministers in Bharatpur's Bayana ended inconclusively and there was no fresh proposal from the government so far. The <g data-gr-id="45">stir</g> was launched on Thursday in Bharatpur with community members blocking the Delhi-Mumbai rail tracks in Pilukapura. Several trains have been cancelled, partially cancelled, while others were diverted causing inconvenience to the passengers. 

Representatives of the Gujjar community and the Rajasthan government had met on Saturday, but the meeting ended in a deadlock as the community leaders accused the government of not coming up with concrete proposal to fulfill their demand of 5 per cent quota in government jobs.

"The talks have failed because the ministers came without any clear proposal to address our demands," said Gujjar leader Kirori Singh Bainsla, after the meeting.

After the <g data-gr-id="31">meting</g>, Minister Rajendra Rathore had said another round of meeting would take place on Monday in Jaipur.

However, Gujjar leaders did not confirm whether they would attend the meeting and returned to the agitation venue after the meeting.