Talks between Gujjars and Rajasthan govt fail

Talks between Gujjars and the Rajasthan government on the reservation issue failed on Monday night as neither side could agree on a formula to end the ongoing sit-in by the community and Gujjar leader Kirori Singh Bainsla threatened to intensify the agitation if the demand was not met by Tuesday.

Two rounds of talks lasting nearly two hours between a Gujjar delegation and Rajasthan government emissaries -- Energy Minister Jitendra Singh and Home Minister Shanti Dhariwal -- failed to break the impasse and Gujjar leaders staged a walkout.

Gujjar leaders Roop Singh and Harprasad who participated in talks with the government told reporters that the Gehlot government "had not done any homework" despite the Gujjars deferring their agitation by 12 days and did not even take legal advice from experts.

"We will go back to Hindon to follow the instructions of Kirori Singh Bainsla who already has given an ultimatum to the government till tomorrow morning to resolve the impasse," the duo told media persons.

"The Gehlot government has no willpower to address our demands and wants to keep them hanging in balance for ever," they said.

Jitendra Singh told the media that the talks were abruptly stopped due to the "Gujjar leaders" and "we will try our best to find a solution".

"A decision to provide 5 per cent quota to Gujjars and three other communities -- Banjara, Gardia Luhar and Rebari cannot be taken in five minutes. The case is pending in the (Rajasthan) High Court."

"We are trying to keep communication with Bainsla who is in Hindon," the minister said.

Earlier, Bainsla accused the Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government of vacillating on the issue of 5 per cent reservation for Gujjars in jobs and threatened to intensify the agitation if their demand was not met by Tuesday morning.

"If a written agreement providing jobs for the community is not reached by Tuesday morning, the protesters will do anything including staging a march to Jaipur from Hindon," he said.