india

Updated: Feb 16, 2019 22:58 IST

The Gujjar community on Saturday called off their eight-day agitation after Tourism Minister Vishvendra Singh handed over a draft of reservation bill to the Gujjar leaders on the railway tracks at Malarna Dungar. Train services on Delhi-Mumbai have been resumed after the agitation was withdrawn.

Gujjar leader Col (retd) Kirori Singh Bainsla announced all agitators to just withdraw stir and open all railway tracks and national highways after he and other leaders read the draft.

In a tweet, chief minister Ashok Gehlot welcomed the withdrawal of the agitation. He said, “Whenever the Gujjar community had held agitations, we (Congress) resolved the issues through dialogues and talks. We have been successful without using force.”

Over a week-long dharna led by Kirori Bainsla on railway tracks and highways had inconvenienced travellers. Gujjars were demanding. They were demanding 5% reservation in educational institutes and state services.

Taking a dig at BJP, Gehlot said that even today it pains us that 72 Gujjars had lost their lives in police firing under the BJP regime. He said whenever there have been agitations in BJP rule, Congress leaders have appealed the agitators to maintain peace. However, it is unfortunate that whenever agitations took place in Congress rule, the BJP leaders always provoked them. This is the difference in thinking of Congress and BJP, he added.

BJP spokesperson Mukesh Pareek said Gehlot’s remarks were baseless and condemnable. “The remarks show his conservative and narrow-minded thinking. He should give one instance of any BJP leader provoking agitators. The BJP is always at the forefront to protect the interests and rights of the people and the peace and communal amity of the state.”

The government has assured that if the bill faces any legal problems, then the state government will immediately interfere and extend support to the community. Tourism minister Vishvendra Singh and IAS officer Neeraj K Pawan had been camping in Sawai Madhopur since last eight days and were trying to resolve the stalemate.

Singh said, “I had come here in Sawai Madhopur to talk with agitators within 24 hours of Gurjar stir and I promised to solve the issue. State government has fulfilled demands of Gurjars.”

Bainsla said “We are satisfied with the bill passed by the government to give 5% reservation...” .