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Wednesday, May 30, 2007
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13 killed in Gujjar-police clashes

Sunny Sebastian

The community is agitating for inclusion in the Scheduled Tribes

BURNING ISSUE: A Rajasthan Roadways bus set on fire on the Delhi-Jaipur national highway in the agitation by the Gujjar community in Rajasthan on Tuesday. — Photo courtesy: Rajasthan Patrika

JAIPUR: Thirteen persons, including a policeman, were killed in violence at several places in Rajasthan on Tuesday when members of the backward Gujjar community, agitating for inclusion among the Scheduled Tribes, clashed with the police.

Police firing in Bundi town, on the Jaipur-Kota stretch, left six persons dead. One of the policemen grievously injured in the violence died in hospital, while another was said to be in a critical condition.

In Dausa, where six persons were killed in police firing, two policemen were missing till evening. Traffic was disrupted at Kotputli on the Jaipur-Delhi route as the agitators set fire to seven RSRTC buses. Buses were set ablaze at Bayana town in Bharatpur district as well. In Sikandra, on the Jaipur-Agra route, a police chowki was torched.

Trouble began around 8.30 a.m. at Patoli, 40 km from Dausa town, and spread to the districts of Dausa and Karauli and Bundi by noon, leaving over 100 people critically injured. By afternoon, troops were called out in Dausa and Mahuwa towns to help civic authorities.

Extreme provocation

"The situation is not yet fully under control. We are keeping a strict watch over the developments," said Home Minister Gulab Chand Kataria, who met media persons in the evening here. He said there was extreme provocation from the crowds at both places where the police opened fire.

"Not in our hands"

The Government was willing to open a dialogue with the Gujjar leaders on the issue though it would not be able to do much.

"It is not in the hands of the State Government to give ST status to Gujjars. We can, at the most, forward the recommendations from the Collectors to the Centre. We have received reports from 26 districts while six more are awaited," Mr. Kataria said.

Congress general secretary Ashok Gehlot, in a statement, said Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje was "fully responsible" for the "bloodbath." "The Government never thought of initiating a dialogue with the community after making false promises earlier," he charged.

The police action evoked strong reaction from the Left parties and rights groups also.

The Gujjar Arakshan Sangarsh Samiti (Gujjar reservation agitation committee) which has been agitating for the demand for the past one year, called this round a karo ya maro (do or die) struggle.

"Two lakh people are waiting here for justice. We will not move the bodies till the Chief Minister initiates a dialogue with us," Col. (retd.) Kirori Singh, leader of the Gujjar Mahasabha, told The Hindu over telephone from Patoli, where the bodies were lying. "We were peacefully holding the agitation when the police opened fire," he charged.

Slogans against Raje

PTI reports:

Ms. Raje on Tuesday night faced hostile Gujjars as she went to the Sawai Man Singh hospital here to inquire about those injured in the violence.

Several people raised slogans against her and the Home Minister.

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