Jaipur: The eight-day Gujjar agitation in Rajasthan — which had wreaked havoc on the rail traffic in the state — was called off late on Thursday evening after the state government agreed to give them 5% reservation in government jobs.
The matter was resolved hours after the Centre rushed 4,500 paramilitary personnel to handle the agitation, which had also hit traffic on the Jaipur-Agra national highway.
The state government has promised to introduce a bill in the next assembly session to effect the reservation.
It will be over and above the 50% reservation extended to backward castes and scheduled castes and tribes. And it will be made part of the Constitution’s Ninth Schedule, so it can’t be challenged in court.
Col Kirori Bainsla, leader of the agitation, said, “We have suffered a lot. My people will finally get their due.”
The agitation had taken a heavy toll on railway services, with numerous trains being cancelled or diverted.
Ajay Shukla, a member of the Railway Board said the Railways had suffered a loss of over 200 crore in the eight days.
“Every day we suffered a lot — Rs. 25 crore loss was on freight alone. Plus there was a loss of Rs. 3-4 crore on passenger traffic,” he said.
Earlier today, the high court too, criticised the state government and the police chief and asked them to speedily end the stir.
The protesters had blocked rail tracks and roads in three districts. After talks with the state government failed yesterday, their numbers had swelled, with women and children, armed with batons, joining their ranks.
They squatted on the railway track in Pilukapura in Bharatpur, on National Highway 11 at Dausa’s Sikandara and a state highway in Sawai Madhopur.
