Gujjars’ agitation enters 6 day

Jaipur : Gujjar protesters demanding 5 percent job reservation in government services in Rajasthan continued to block rail traffic for the sixth day on Saturday.

The protesters blocked the Delhi-Mumbai, Delhi-Jaipur and Agra-Jaipur and other surface transport traffic to force Chief Minister Ashok Ghelot to come to the terms or face the complete shut.

The agitating leaders held talks with a three-member ministerial panel formed by Rajasthan on Friday night but nothing came out forcing the ethnic Gujjars to intensify the agitation.

A Gujjar delegation held discussions with state Home Minister Shanti Dhariwal, Transport Minister BK Sharma and Energy Minister Jitendra Singh, who are members of the committee, the officials said.

The busy Delhi-Mumbai trunk rail route has been blocked since Monday as protesters led by Gujjar Reservation Action Committee Convener Col Kirodi Singh Bainsla were holding sit-in at rail tracks at Pillukapura-Chhonkra level crossing in Bayana region of Bharatpur district.

They also resorted to dharna at the Manota level crossing near Bandikui blocking Delhi-Jaipur-Ahmedabad and Jaipur Agra routes.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot again appealed to the agitating community leaders to call off their stir and open a dialogue for exploring an amicable solution.