Gujjars withdraw agitation, 3-member Committee to look into their demand(Lead: Gujjars)

In an important breakthrough the Gujjar community leaders today announced to withdraw their agitations after the Rajasthan Government agreed to set up a high-level three-member committee to look into the Gujjars demand of Scheduled Tribe status to reap the benefits of reservation.

Jaipur, June 4 : In an important breakthrough the Gujjar community leaders today announced to withdraw their agitations after the Rajasthan Government agreed to set up a high-level three-member committee to look into the Gujjars demand of Scheduled Tribe status to reap the benefits of reservation.

The breakthrough came after the fifth round of talks between Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje Scindia and Gujjar leaders, which this time was also represented by an 11-member team of Gurjar Arakshan Sangharsh Samiti (Gurjar Reservation Struggle Committee) led by Colonel Kirori Singh Bainsla.

Announcing the decision, Raje, who appeared before the media along with Colonel Bainsla, said: "The three-member committee under the chairmanship of retired judge of a High Court will submit its report within three months."

The Committee will be looking into the constitutional validity of Gujjars' demand and will also have an expert on tribes of India as its deputy Chairman.

Colonel Bainsla expressed his disappointment over the violence and added, "I am sorry for the agitation. We got what we wanted."

He also said that the community would pay their respect to the 'martyrs' of the community, who were killed on May 29 police firing along with the police personnel killed in the agitation.

Earlier in the day, tension prevailed in Rajasthan and neighbouring areas of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and Madhya Pradesh after the talks continued with no results.

The protests by the Gujjars that began in Dausa, spread to the different States and led to the death of 25 people, but there are reports suggesting that at least 30 people may have been killed.

Several have been injured in the clashes since they first broke out on May 29 after the Gujjars forwarded a demand to be declared a Scheduled Tribe (ST).

The demand has been opposed by the Meena community, which falls in the ST category, leading to violent clashes between the two communities.

Gujjars claim that the Rajasthan BJP Government had promised them ST status when they came to power in 2003.

The agitators have called for the immediate resignation of the Raje. They also demanded a CBI probe into the incidents of police firing in which 'innocent' Gujjars were killed.

ANI