Gurjar agitation intensifies, trains diverted after protestors block track
A major Gurjar organisation started an agitation in Rajasthan over reservation on Sunday and blocked a rail track in Bharatpur’s Bayana. Due to the blockage, seven trains have been diverted on the Hindaun city-Bayana rail route. The massive protest comes a day after community leaders held talks with the Rajasthan government and reached a consensus on 14 points.
The Gurjar Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti had earlier called for agitation from November 1.
The convener of the organisation, Colonel Kirori Singh Bainsla, said he is waiting for State Sports and Youth Minister Ashok Chandna to come to Bayana from Jaipur.
Replying to a question of whether the movement would go on for long, he told reporters, "It depends on the government."
“The agitation will affect traffic on the Delhi-Mumbai rail route. The movement of traffic was disrupted on the Bayana-Hindaun road,” police said. Earlier on Saturday, Gurjar leader Himmat Singh said the talks with the government were positive.
Bainsla had asked the members of the community to reach Pilupura in Bayana of Sawai Madhopur district on November 1 to start an agitation on reservation-related issues.
Mobile Internet services have been suspended in many districts. The home department had evoked the National Security Act (NSA) in Bharatpur, Dholpur, Sawai Madhopur, Dausa, Tonk, Bundi, Jhalawar, and Karauli districts.
The organization is demanding that the Rajasthan government should get the Gurjar reservation included in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution, fill the backlog of vacancies and give the benefit of five percent reservation to the Most Backward Classes (MBCs) in the pending recruitment process.
The 14-point agreement includes providing a regular pay scale to 1,252 MBC candidates who have completed their probation period.
The state government will once again write to the Centre to include the provision related to reservation for the MBCs in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution, as per the agreement.
Meanwhile, families of the three people who died due to injuries received during a Gurjar agitation in the past will be given an assistance of Rs 5 lakh each.
(With PTI inputs)
