May 27 2008
Gujjar agitation: High alert in NCR!
After the Gujjar community threatened a “complete NCR roko” on May 29, a high alert is declared in the National Capital Region (NCR) by the Union Home Ministry on Tuesday.
Gujjar’s agitation is engulfing the nearby areas and states along with NCR. The Gujjars demanding for Scheduled Tribe status has threatened to block traffic in different parts of the national capital on May 29.
Home Minister Shivraj Patil reviewed the situation in a meeting with Special Secretary (Internal Security) M L Kumawat, where Delhi Police Chief Y S Dadwal was also present.
Gujjar’s five day old agitation has already upset the rail traffic passing through Rajasthan, tourism in Rajasthan and the routine life in the affected areas. Presence of a number of Gujjar pockets in the outskirt areas has become a matter of concern in the Home Ministry. The security establishment did not want to leave anything to chance in NCR on Thursday.
Due to the unrest, ten trains, mostly originating from Delhi, were cancelled on Tuesday. Police tear-gassed Gujjar protestors on Delhi-Jaipur highway and in Tonk district as the stir spread to new areas in Rajasthan with agitation leader Kirori Singh Bainsla asking Centre to intervene to resolve the issue of ST status for the community.
Bainsla has clearly said that he would settle for nothing less than ST status for Gujjars. He out rightly rejected a proposal of letter the Chief Minister to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh recommending four to six per cent reservation for the community.
Meanwhile the leader is asked to appear in the Rajasthan High court on May 30 after the government charged the case of murder and violence on him.
