JAIPUR: The Left parties on Friday sought Central intervention in Rajasthan to stop the ongoing violence in the State in connection with the Gujjar agitation for Scheduled Tribe status. "The whole State is in the grip of a fierce caste confrontation. The situation is frightening," they said.

In a joint statement, the CPI (M) and the CPI said the agitation, which had so far claimed over two dozen lives in four days, was not showing signs of any let-up. The law and order situation was cause for worry. CPI (M) State secretary Vasudev, party MLA Amra Ram and CPI State secretary Dushyant Ojha were signatories to the statement.

The Left leaders termed the present situation as the outcome of "gross administrative ineffectiveness." The BJP Government's past policies of `causing rift' between caste groups had taken a bloody turn with the Gujjar-Meena clashes.

"The Chief Minister and the Government have turned mute spectators to the death and devastation taking place all around. The police administration has totally failed to contain the situation. The Centre should immediately intervene in the State to restore peace."

Pradesh Congress Committee president B.D. Kalla termed the situation similar to that of a "civil war." He appealed to the people to maintain peace and help retain the image of Rajasthan as a "peace-loving" State.

Senior PCC functionaries Hari Singh, Bina Kak, Raghu Sharma, Mumtaz Masih, Asq Ali Tak, Suchitra Arya and Rajendra Pareek also appealed to the people to maintain peace.

Trade union and employees' union leaders, who met here, held the "insensitivity" of the State Government responsible for the violence. They demanded that the Government hold direct talks with Gujjar leaders. The Government's habit of keeping burning issues in abeyance without taking prompt decisions was the root cause of the present crisis, they said.

The trade unions included the All-India Trade Union Congress, the Rajasthan Rajya Karamchari Sanyukta Mahasangh, the Rajasthan State Bank Employees Union, the North-West Zone Railway Employees Union, the Rajasthan Electricity Workers Federation and the All-India Postal Employees Union.

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