JAIPUR: Rail traffic between Delhi and Mumbai, disrupted after members of the backward Gujjar community went on the rampage during the day near Hindaun railway station in Karauli district of Rajasthan demanding Scheduled Tribe status, was restored late on Sunday night. The rail route was cleared after a team of Ministers from Jaipur spoke to the leaders of the community.

As many as 20 passenger trains, including the prestigious Amritsar-Mumbai Frontier Mail, Bandra-Gorakhpur Awadh Express, Janata Express, Paschim Express, Dehra Dun Express and about 80 goods trains were cancelled or diverted during the period from 11 in the morning to late in the evening when the crowds first squatted on the tracks and then turned violent and dismantled a portion of it.

In fact the passengers of the Frontier Mail, on its way to Mumbai, had a narrow escape as it was stopped just a km away from the scene of violence. The agitators had damaged railways property and dismantled rail lines after removing fishplates along the 200-metre distance. The agitators reportedly fired at the guard's cabin with country-made guns, which the leaders of the community have denied.

Expressing concern over the law and order situation, Congress general secretary Ashok Gehlot on Monday held the State Government, especially the Chief Minister, responsible for the present unrest. Peace was restored on Monday in Hindaun town, ravaged by the mob fury, which almost went unhindered despite the presence of the district police, the jawans of the Government Railway Police and Railway Protection Force. "Things are under control. The traffic on the rail route has been restored. The markets are open and people are going about their work normally," said Jose Mohan, the Superintendent of Police, Karauli, talking to The Hindu on phone.

As for the reported police inaction when the mobs wrecked havoc in the town, Mr.Mohan said: "The police kept a restraint not to provoke the mob, numbering 20,000-25,000. It was the success of the administration that any bloodshed could be avoided."

"Reports on violence are exaggerated. We are unrepresented in the media and we don't get a fair deal," said Devi Singh, one of the patrons of Gujjar Mahasabha. "We have been demanding ST status for long and nobody took our pleas seriously. When the Gujjars and Meenas of the region share the same kind of background and lifestyle, why only the latter are in the ST category?" he asked.

"Vasundhara Raje was sympathetic to our demand when she was a Central Minister. Prior to the Assembly elections she had promised inclusion of Gujjars in the ST category," Mr. Devi Singh noted.

The RPF has registered three cases for damages to the railway property and obstruction to the rail traffic while the district police have registered four cases under Sections, 332, 353, 427 under Indian Penal Code and 3 PDPP Act (damage to public property). Cases have been also filed under Sections 143, 427, 283 and 336 of the IPC for road bloc, damage to a cinema hall and other offences including theft of public property.

The Gujjar Arakshan Sangarsh Samiti has called off the stir for the time being after an assurance from the State Government that the Cabinet sub-committee, set up a year ago, would sit on September 8 and discuss the demand once again. A decision would be taken after the sub-committee— which includes Home Minister Gulab Chand Kataria, Social Welfare Minister Madan Dilwar and S.N.Gupta, Chairman of the Grievances Redressal Commission— concur with Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje on September 15.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail