Gujjar stir continues; Rail, road traffic hit

A day-long bandh called by Gujjars in support of their demand for five per cent reservation in government jobs hit vehicular traffic in Dausa district even as Gadia Luhar community joined the stir which entered the fifth day on Friday.

The bandh in Dausa hit the transportation on the Dausa-Bharatpur-Agra highway but there is no report of any violence or blockade so far.

"Security forces are patrolling across the district and situation is under control with no untoward incident since morning," Dausa District Superintendent of Police S Singh said.

Gadia Luhar community has also joined the Gujjar agitation.

The Gujjars have squattered on the Delhi-Mumbai rail tracks.

Meanwhile, the state roadways have stopped movement of buses on Dausa-Bharatpur and Kotputli-Sikar-Alwar routes as a precautionary measure in the view of possible protest by the Gujjars.

The bus service will be resumed after reviewing the situation, officials said.

"Our

agitation is peaceful and will continue. People from Gadia Luhar community has given us support and are arriving here by evening to camp at Pilukapura in support of the demand," Gujjar leader Roop Singh told PTI.

"Bharatpur District Collector had approached us late last night to invite for talks with the government but it was an oral invitation with no specific agenda of five per cent reservation, hence the deadlock will continue. We will hold talks only if the government is ready to talk on the specific demand. Place is not an issue for us, we can hold talks anywhere provided the agenda is five per cent reservation and not less than this," he said.

Meanwhile, the government has deployed five additional state service officers in Dausa to assist the district administration in carrying out the official work.

To end the deadlock, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has formed a panel of three ministers on Thursday night, which would hold talks with the agitating Gujjars.