RELIEF FOR PEOPLE: Train services are being resumed in Rajasthan following an improvement in the situation. People throng the Kota station on Saturday to board the Mathura-Baroda train. — PHOTO COURTESY: RAJASTHAN PATRIKA

JAIPUR: Amid threats of resignation by Cabinet colleagues belonging to the Meena community, Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje held talks with Gujjar representatives here on Saturday to end one of the bloodiest agitations in Rajasthan. Violence has claimed over 24 lives in five days.

While the Gujjars are demanding Scheduled Tribe status, the Meenas are opposing any such concession.

The negotiations, which first started two days ago, began around noon at the Civil Lines residence of the Chief Minister and went on till late in the evening. The talks will resume on Sunday.

The Government agreed to pay a compensation of Rs. 5 lakh each to the families of those killed in clashes and police firing.

Food and Civil Supplies Minister Kirori Lal Meena and Minister of State for Finance Virendra Meena threatened to resign if an agreement between the Government and the Gujjars included a letter to the Centre recommending ST status to that community. Along with the two Ministers, 29 ruling BJP members have offered to resign from the Assembly. Ms. Raje has invited Mr. Kirori Lal Meena for talks.

Gopinath Munde, in-charge of BJP affairs in Rajasthan, and another party leader Ananth Kumar faced the wrath of an angry group from the Meena Arakshan Bachao Samiti (Meena reservation protection committee) outside the State hotel Khasa Kothi here.

The districts of Dausa, Karauli, Sawai Madhopur, Bharatpur, Dholpur and Bundi, which witnessed violence during the past four days, remained peaceful. Clashes between the Meenas and the Gujjars were reported from Pisangan tehsil in Ajmer district and Bari Sadri in Chittorgarh.

Attended by thousands, including women, Meena panchayats were held at Mach village, at Sapotra in Karauli district and at Chakeri in Sawai Madhopur.

Though there was no major incident of violence, the situation was nowhere near normal in many districts. Ten districts were brought under the National Security Act, while 39 columns of the Army continued to assist civic authorities in maintaining law and order. Awaiting the outcome of the negotiations with the Government, a massive gathering of Gujjars is keeping vigil over the bodies of six members of the community, who died in police firing on Tuesday, lying on National Highway 11. As a result, traffic on the Jaipur-Agra road has been disrupted.

Left call to Centre

CPI (M) State secretary Vasudev and CPI leaders Dushyant Ojha and Tara Singh Siddhu told journalists, "The situation has got out of hand for the State Government. Under the circumstances, the Centre should not confine itself to keeping a watch and providing paramilitary forces on demand. It should take steps to stop the caste war and to save the people from bloody conflicts."

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