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Gujjars call off agitation : Peace back in Rajasthan

	June 11, 2007

With the Rajasthan Government agreeing to set up a panel headed by a retired High Court judge to go into the Gujjars’ demand for inclusion in the Scheduled Tribes category, the Gujjars called off their six-day agitation on June 4. The agree¬ment was thrashed out at a meeting between Rajasthan Chief Min¬ister Vasundhra Raje and representatives of the Struggle Commit¬tee of the Gujjars led by Kirori Singh Bainsla and Roop Singh.



The agitation left 25 persons dead in mob violence and police firing in half a dozen districts and brought life to a standstill for most part of a week in many areas of the state and in some neighbouring states.



A joint statement said a three member, high-level commit¬tee, headed by a retired High Court judge, would look into the Gujjars’ claim for inclusion in the ST category. It would have a member-secretary with special experience and knowledge of tribal issues and areas. “The Committee would study deeply the demands of the Gujjar community on the basis of the administrative and legal parameters stipulated by the Government of India and submit a report to the State Government in three months.”



There was no mention of any letter from the Chief Minister to the Centre recommending ST status to the community - a demand made by the Gujjar leadership.



“We got what we wanted,” said Col. Bainsla. He apologised for the “inconvenience” caused to the public. Col. Bainsla said he would keep in mind the interest of the nation rather than that of the community. ``We are a community, not a caste. We had to fight this way to press our demand,” Roop Singh, who led the first four rounds of negotiations, said while leaving the venue of talks.



Raje, speaking briefly to the media, said it was in the tradition of Rajasthan for communities to co-exist in harmony.



Later, on June 7, the State Government appointed Justice Jasraj Chopra, a retired judge of the High Court to head the three-member committee to look into the Gujjar community claim for inclusion in the Scheduled Tribes category. The committee’s terms of reference and procedure of functioning will be decided by the chairperson himself.





Army columns withdrawn



With peace returning to Rajasthan, 39 Army columns deployed in over a dozen districts have been withdrawn while the para-military forces are to be called back in a phased manner. Road blocks obstructing traffic on various roads, especially National Highway 11, have been lifted, enabling resumption of traffic.



A day before the Gujjar agitation was called off, it had spread to the national capital Delhi, with unruly crowds disrupt¬ing traffic at Delhi’s borders with neighbouring states. A number of buses were burnt by agitators.





Violence in Rajasthan, a national shame : Apex Court



Taking suo motu cognizance of large scale destruction of property during the agitation, the Supreme Court on June 5 de¬scribed as a national shame the violence in Rajasthan and the subsequent incidents in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Delhi. A vacation bench consisting of Justices Arijit Pasayat and D.K. Jain, directed the police chiefs of Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Delhi to file within ten days affidavits on what action was taken or was proposed to be taken against the offenders.



The judges told senior counsel Rajeev Dhavan, who was ap¬pointed amicus curiae, “It is a serious matter. We are taking suo motu cognizance of the destruction of properties. It has caused a lot of trauma to the people.”



The Bench said, “It is a national shame that hordes of people are indulging in destruction of property.” It recalled the judgment upholding a Kerala High Court order on bandhs and said damages should be recovered from those people who destroyed property.



Dhavan said those who called for a bandh owed a vicarious responsibility. “Even if there may be a right to protest in some cases, that does not give licence to anybody to destroy proper¬ties and/or indulge in acts of vandalism.”



Referring to Monday’s bandh in Delhi, the Bench said life in the entire city was paralysed. “Nobody was able to reach his or her office on time. Even doctors were not able to attend to their patients.”



There are reports that the violence in Rajasthan could cost the state to Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 12,000 crores. The railways also suffered large scale damage.





Cases filed against Gujjar leaders



A day after the Supreme Court sought reports from the police forces of four states over the violence during the Gujjar agita¬tion, the Rajasthan Police filed charges against Col. Kirori Lal Bainsla and eight other Gujjar leaders on grounds of criminal conspiracy and instigating a mob. Police said the action was the result of a routine investigation and cases against Bainsla and others had been filed on the first day of the agitation.



Unhappy over the registration of murder cases against their leaders, there are reports that the Gujjars are planning to review their decision to call off the agitation. The state gov¬ernment on Friday, June 8, rejected the demand for withdrawal of cases filed against Gujjar leaders during the agitation. Principal Secretary Home V.S. Singh told media persons in Jaipur that the law will take its own course and that the state govern¬ment will not bow to pressure.



There are reports that a section of the Gujjar community is not happy with the agreement entered into with the Vasundhra Raje Government. A Maha Panchayat of the Gujjar community at Pushkar on June 8 decided to continue the fight for Scheduled Tribe status. The mahapanchayat demanded withdrawal of police cases against Gujjar leaders and removal of Meena police officers from the agitation affected areas. Demands was also made for filing of cases against four ministers that include two Meenas, for cele¬brating their agreement with the government as a defeat of the community.



The mahapanchayat was mainly attended by leaders unhappy with the agreement struck with the state government under the leadership of non-political Gujjar leader Lt Colonel Kirori Singh Bainsla.



A large section of the Gujjar leaders allege Lt Col Bainsla gave into government demands on the contentious ST status issue. The mahapanchayat decided to organise a national level maha¬panchayat at Pushkar on June 24 to discuss the future strategy of the community on the issue.



Meanwhile, a group of Gujjar leaders under the leadership of Lt Col Bainsla held a meeting with the government over the issue of police cases filed against the community leaders. The govern¬ment has assured Gujjar leaders, no action will be taken against Lt Colonel Bainsla and other Gujjar leaders, without a thorough investigation.



The community leaders had decided to suspend their stir for three months till the three-member committee headed by Justice (Retd) Jasraj Chopra, constituted by the government to look into the demand of the Gujjars, submits its report.



They asked the community not to indulge in any kind of violence over the next three months.





Demands for ST status in other states



Social groups in other states are also coming up with de¬mands for scheduled tribe status. These includes Van-Gujjars in Uttar Pradesh, Kolis in Gujarat, Malas and Madigas in Andhra Pradesh, and Paharis in Jammu and Kashmir. Ironically, the Gujjars who enjoy scheduled tribe status in Jammu and Kashmir, are opposing the Paharis demand for ST status.



The BJP national executive meeting which was to be held earlier in Jaipur on June 15 and 16, will now be held in New Delhi on June 25 and 26. The executive is expected to discuss the political situation, stalled economic reforms and the out¬come of Assembly elections in various states.