Rajasthan CM-Gujjar leader meet finally

For the first time since the Gujjar violence erupted in Rajasthan over their demand for inclusion in the Scheduled Tribe status, Rajasthan Gujjar Sangarsh Samiti convenor Kirori Singh Bainsla met with Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje Scindia on Monday.

The meeting, held at the Rajasthan chief minister's official residence in Jaipur, is currently underway.

Ahead of his talks with Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, the top leader of Gujjars said the agitation launched by his community would not be withdrawn unless the demand for giving ST status was met.

Bainsla said the agitation of the Gujjar community would continue peacefully if their demand for shifting the Gujjars from OBC to Scheduled Tribe category was not recommended by the state government to the Centre.

The agitation would not be withdrawn unless the demand was fulfilled by the state government, Bainsla, who was accompanied by an 11-member team of Gurjar Arakshan Sangharsh Samiti (Gurjar Reservation Struggle Committee), said before going for the talks with Raje.

The future of the agitation depended on the outcome of the crucial fifth round of talks between the Gujjars  leaders and Raje and her group of ministers.

This is the first time Raje is holding discussions with the top leader of the Gujjars  community. All earlier talks between the group of ministers and the Gujjars  representatives led by Roop Singh, Convener of the Samiti, had ended inconconclusively.

Following this, Raje had invited Bainsla for talks to resolve the vexed issue that began on Tuesday last would end.

Meanwhile, Gujjar leader and Congress MP Avtar Singh Bhadana told media persons on Monday: "We will agree only on the ST status and this condition will have to be fulfilled if the raging agitation has to subside and community people assured on this."

Claiming that the 'Delhi Bandh' was peaceful, barring a few stray incidents, Bhadana said they were all for peace but if people of the community were dragged out of their homes and killed how long could they keep quiet?

"Ignoring the issue at the very onset of the agitation and not talking to the community leaders on the issue actually led to aggravating of the situation. We want the situation to diffuse but our demands need to be met," he added.