Gujjar agitation called off as Rajasthan Govt. gives in to demand

Gujjar leaders have called off their violent agitation in Rajasthan following Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje's assurance to get their demand examined in three months by a three–member committee.

The trouble started Tuesday, May 29, when a road blockade announced by the Gujjars, to press for their demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status which, under Indian law, would benefit them with government jobs and education opportunities, took a violent turn during which 14 people, including a policeman, were killed when police fired into crowds at Dausa and Bundi areas to stop mobs from blocking the arterial Jaipur–Agra highway.

Since the start of the agitation on May 29, at least 26 people were reported to have been killed in the clashes that have spread to the Karauli, Sawai Madhopur, Dholpur, Bharatpur, Alwar and Jhalawar districts of Rajasthan and in neighbouring states of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi and Madhya Pradesh.

Apprehensive about being left behind by more upwardly mobile other backward classes (OBC) groups like the Meenas and the Jats, the Gujjars started the movement for getting the ST tag and concommitant quota benefits.

The Meena community is the dominant Scheduled Tribe community in Rajasthan.

The Gujjars belong to the northwestern parts of India. Most of them are Hindus except those in Muslim–majority Kashmir state, who follow Islam. They have traditionally been farmers on the plains and shepherds in the hills.

A retired Army officer, Col. Kirori Singh Bhaisala, who has emerged as the chief architect of the current Gujjar agitation, agreed on Sunday, June 3, to suspend the protests following Chief Minister Raje's promise of the creation of a committee headed by an ex–HC judge to look into their demand.

After the meeting with Bhaisala, Chief Minister Raje told mediapersons that the discussion was held in an amicable and cordial atmosphere with the common objective of ending the deadlock.

She announced that the family members of all the persons killed during the agitation would be given a compensation of Rs. 5 lakh each while the kin of the two policemen died would be given an ex gratia of Rs. 10 lakh each.

The Gurjar Arakshan Samiti led by Bhainsla, speaking to reporters, apologised for the loss of human lives and property due to the agitation. "I owe an apology to the nation for the hardship that people faced because of our agitation. But I am very happy that the agitation ended with an amicable settlement with the state government," Bhaisala said.

"We got all that we wanted. We are satisfied with the results of the talk. This would pave the way for reservation to the Gurjar community. I express by condolence to all those person who died during the agitation," he added.

However, sources in the state BJP said this settlement was not looked upon as the final solution to the Gujjars' demands. "Government has only bought time from the Gujjar leaders. Since Gujjars don't comply with the criteria needed for the inclusion in ST category, the government would not be able to change its social status," a BJP supporter, on conditions of anonymity, said.