Opinion - Letters to the Editor   

A relief!

After six days of mob violence causing large-scale death and destruction, the Gujjars have finally called off their agitation for inclusion among the Scheduled Tribes. That the Rajasthan Government agreed to constitute a committee to look into their demand only after 25 lives were lost and sizeable damage was caused to public property is unfortunate. It is not clear whether the Gujjar leadership has given any undertaking that it will not contest the committee's report if it goes against it. Kirori Singh Bainsla's apology to the people for causing "inconvenience" is hardly convincing.

B. Harish, Mangalore

The nation should heave a sigh of relief as the agitation that was threatening to spill over to the neighbouring States of Rajasthan has been called off. The Gujjars' demand has been referred to a committee, which can at best ensure a temporary truce. Will not the committee report upset either the Gujjars or the Meenas, taking the situation back to square one? The government, instead of brushing the incendiary matter under the carpet, should come out with a permanent solution by examining the vexed question of reservation.

R. Ramachandra Rao, Hyderabad

"We got what we wanted" — Col. Bainsla's words are frightening and ominous. The agitators destroyed public property, disrupted peace, and indulged in acts that led to the loss of 25 lives. The man who was responsible for all this has trumpeted his triumph and will get away scot-free. Who will pay for the damage caused? Will the criminal justice system take cognisance of the agitation and ask the organisations responsible to pay up? Unless that happens, citizens will continue to live in uncertainty and fear.

Augustine Kuriapilly, Koovappady

What was achieved on the seventh day could have been achieved earlier had sense and wisdom prevailed on Rajasthan's political leadership. One fails to understand why the government did not take the issue seriously in the beginning. The appointment of the committee — a notorious delaying tactic — could have been done much earlier; 25 precious lives could have been saved.

Mumtaz Alam Falahi, New Delhi

What did the six-day mayhem achieve? Could the negotiations between the government and the Gujjars not have taken place at the beginning of the agitation? Why did the government take so long to do what it did?

Rashid G. Khan, Aligarh

Who is accountable for the damage caused by the Gujjars and the Meenas in Rajasthan and adjoining States? The agitation exposes the ugly face of politics. All governments refrain from acting when the issue involves caste or religion. It is the taxpayers' hard earned money that is used to maintain public property. The Supreme Court should ask the State governments concerned to calculate the loss and make the ruling parties pay for it.

Shashikant Singh, Roorkee

The Gujjar agitation was the result of our politicians' penchant for making tall promises during elections knowing full well that they cannot fulfil them. This is hypocrisy at its worst. The Gujjars, on the other hand, have not covered themselves with glory by damaging trains, buses, and private vehicles, and disrupting normal life. We as a nation seem to be heading in the wrong direction.

M.K. Bajaj, Chandigarh

It is a matter of great concern that for any issue to catch the attention of the authorities, it has first to be taken to the streets. Even after 60 years of independence, if the underprivileged have to take the route of reservation for amelioration of their living standards it is shameful. Reservation has proved to be a total failure. The need of the hour is to create opportunities for the downtrodden in the form of educational scholarships and facilities for entrepreneurial training.

R. Vijaykumar, Chennai

The earlier we recognise the symptoms of the menace that caste-based reservation is turning out to be, the better for the nation. The only basis of reservation, if at all, should be the economic condition of a person, irrespective of his caste, creed, and religion.

Pramod Kumar Gupta, New Delhi

After 60 years of independence, we are realising the futility of caste-based reservation. More and more sections clamour for inclusion in the list of reserved categories. As all the economically weaker sections try to jump on to the bandwagon of reservation, governments find it Herculean to meet their demands. In such a situation, any proposal to extend religion-based reservation by governments with an eye on the minority votes will aggravate the situation further. One hopes governments will realise the dangers of the move.

K. Natarajan, Thiruvananthapuram

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