Gujjars continue dharna for quota in Rajasthan

Gujjar leader Kirori Singh Bainsla and his supporters continued their sit-in on the rail tracks in Rajasthan's Swai Madhopur district for the second day on Saturday, forcing authorities to cancel three trains and divert one.

The protesters are demanding five per cent reservation to Gujjars, Raika-Rebari, Gadia Luhar, Banjara and Gadaria communities in government jobs and educational institutions. Train movement continued to be affected due to the blockade on Swai Madhopur-Bayana railway section in Kota division.

North Western Railway (NWR) Chief Public Relations Officer Abhay Sharma said three trains, including Hazrat Nizamuddin-Ahmedabad, Hazrat Nizamuddin-Udaipur and Udaipur-Hazrat Nizamuddin were cancelled whereas Firozpur Cantt-Mumbai train was was diverted.

Bainsla, who is staging his dharna along with supporters on the railway tracks in Malarna Dungar of Swai Madhopur district, said he will not move till five per cent reservation was given.

He said the government had promised five per cent reservation to the community in its election manifesto so the state government was liable to give the same "so that the people can return home gracefully".

Vijay Bainsla, another Gujjar leader, said they have been waiting for talks with the government since last 20 days on their demand.

He said agitators blocked Jaipur-Delhi, Jodhpur-Bhilwara, Ajmer-Bhilwara highway on Saturday.

DGP (Law and order) M L Lather said no untoward incident has been reported so far due to the Gujjar agitation. Our teams are alert and the deadlock may soon be over after today's meeting with the committee constituted by the government.

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.