Dausa (Raj): Rajasthan government on Thursday
extended a fresh invitation for talks to Gujjar leader Kirori
Singh Bainsla, who is spearheading a protest demanding five
per cent quota for the community in state jobs.
Hundreds of Gujjars led by Bainsla have been marching to
Jaipur since April 11 to press for their demand.
District Collector of Karauli Neeraj K Pawan extended the
invitation to Bainsla and his colleagues at a private hotel in
Peepalkhera village of Dausa district today.
The District Collector held a closed door meeting with
the Gujjar leader for about 90 minutes and apprised him of the
state government's view point on the issue, an official said.
"It is now up to Bainsla to decide whether to go ahead
for talks with the government or continue march," the official
said, adding no written invite was handed over to Bainsla, it
was just verbal talks between the two.
Earlier, two rounds of talks between Gujjars and
government emissaries collapsed on April 12 as the Gehlot
government denied to concede to their demand.
Following this, the Gujjars launched "Jaipur kooch"
(march) from a college ground in Hindon, about 300 km from the
state capital, and reached Peepalkhera last night.
When contacted, Energy Minister and key intermediary Dr
Jitendra Singh said that the state government was
exploring the possibility to satisfy the Gujjar community's
demand of five per cent quota within the limit of 50 per cent
quota.
"Legal experts are evaluating the rules, acts and other
legislations adopted by south Indian states. It could take
appropriate time to work out on a constructive formula," Singh
said.
Hundreds of Gujjars led by Bainsla resumed the road show
on the NH-11 today from Peepalkhera in Dausa district, Dr
Roopsingh, spokesman of Rajasthan Gujjar Arakshan Sangarsh
Samiti, said.
At Patoli's Shaeed Smarak where seven Gujjars had fallen
victim to police bullets two years ago, the protestors paid
floral tribute at the memorial, he said.
Jaipur is about 100-km from Peepalkhera, and the marchers
would pass through Manpur, Sikandra, Dausa, Bassi, Kanota to
reach the state capital in next two days.
The District Collector (Jaipur) has already imposed the
prohibitory order under section 144 of CrPC in entire district
to contain any outside movement of crowd or group into the
state capital, till April 18.
Extra force is also keeping a strict vigil on the
national highways, and the GRP maintaining rail track
surveillance in Kota division, officials said.
PTI
First Published: Thursday, April 15, 2010, 19:26