Rajasthan: It’s raining issues in the desert

The Gujjar agitation of 2008, is likely to be a major deciding factor in the Lok Sabha polls. Terrorism and the overall security scenario, especially post 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, are likely to play on voters’ minds.

Abhishek Singh Samant

It would be an understatement to say that the year 2008 in Rajasthan was soaked in blood. Be it the terror attacks in the Pink City Jaipur or the agitation of Gujjars demanding more reservation, the past year was a violent one for Rajasthan. The Gujjar agitation, which snowballed into a mass movement, is likely to be a major deciding factor in the Lok Sabha polls. Terrorism and the overall security scenario, especially post 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, are likely to play on voters’ minds. Some important issues, which might determine the vote swing in the general elections, are discussed below. Gujjar issue In April-May 2008, Gujjars launched a widespread agitation demanding Scheduled Tribe status. The movement, which took a violent turn when 18 persons were killed in police firing at Sikandra in Dausa districts, also spread to Delhi and adjoining areas and over 50 people were killed in nearly a month long agitation. The Jaipur-Agra stretch of NH 11 was the focal point of the May 2007 agitation, which claimed 26 lives. The stretch again came into limelight during the 2008 agitation and witnessed roadblocks. The Gujjars constitute around 5 to 6 percent of Rajasthan’s entire population. The community, which is categorised under the Other Backward Classes, is demanding reservation under Scheduled Tribe status. In June, 2009, the state government, to some extent, accepted their demand and consented to give five percent reservation to Gujjar, Banjara and Rabari communities collectively under a special category. A Bill to this effect was also passed in the sate assembly. However, it is yet to be cleared by the Governor. The very issue which mobilised the community has left it divided on whether what they got is satisfactory. One faction led by Col (retd) K S Bainsla, the convener of believes it was the best deal they could have brokered with the Raje government. While the other faction feels that they have been cheated by both the state government and their leaders. Terrorism A rise in terrorist threats, especially in the wake of 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, is likely to dominate voters’ mind. The state itself is not isolated from the pan Indian, or rather global, menace of terrorism. Rajasthan, which was till recently considered immune to the threat of terrorism, witnessed a series of nine synchronised bomb blasts at different locations rocked Jaipur within a span of fifteen minutes on May 13, 2008. 63 people died and 216 were injured in the deadly bombings. Two days after the blasts, a previously unknown Islamic militant group known as Indian Mujahideen, sent an e-mail to Indian media in which they claimed responsibility for the attacks and said they would "demolish the faith (Hinduism)" of the "infidels of India". In 2008, there was a bomb blast sufi shrine of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti at Ajmer on Thursday at 6:20 pm, leaving two dead and eleven injured. In such a scenario, terrorism is likely to determine the vote swing. Thirsty farmers In the past few years, a number of towns in Rajasthan’s Sriganganagar and the adjoining districts such as Bikaner and Hanumangarh have witnessed unrest following the deficiency in the supply of irrigation water from the Gang and Indira Gandhi canal systems. The farmers have united under the umbrella of Kisan Mazdoor Vyapari Sangharsh Samiti – a non-political body – and are in confrontation with the government demanding assurance on the continued supply of 5.23 cusecs of water per 1,000 acres. Protests on the issue in Sri Ganganagar and Hanumangarh districts had become violent in 2004 and again in 2006, when six people were killed in police firing. On October 11, 2007, hundreds of farmers protested in Sriganganagar, Hanumangarh and Bikaner. The farmers demanded 58 percent of the water from Indira Gandhi Canal, as was promised by the government. An agreement to that effect was signed between the government and the Kisan Sangharsh Samiti in 2004. The farmers allege that the government has not kept its word. Corruption The issue of corruption could be an important one, especially from a Congress perspective, to increase its vote share. Congress got a help from an unexpected corner when BJP veteran Bhairon Singh Shekhawat went public over his letter written to Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, alleging large-scale corruption during the previous BJP regime.