Gujjar supremo Kirori Singh Bainsla on Sunday lifted the “maha padav” (siege) at Kushalipura Darrah in Sawai Madhopur district and announced postponement of the agitation for reservation for a few days to give time to the Congress-led Government to act on its promise for five per cent quota to Special Backward Classes.
Publicly, Col. Bainsla said he had deferred the agitation to facilitate all members of the Gujjar community to take part in a function, marking the death anniversary of the former Union Minister Rajesh Pilot in Dausa district on Monday, where his statue is to be unveiled.
“Since all of us want to be present at the unveiling of Pilot's statue, I have deferred the agitation for a few days. Our demand [for quota] remains unchanged,” Col. Bainsla told reporters. He said the resumption of agitation would be decided after observing the State government's stance.
Hectic parleys between the Gujjar leadership and Energy Minister Jitendra Singh, the Gujjar face of the State Government, took place on the agitation's fourth day with Sunday evening set as the new deadline by Gujjars to meet their immediate demand for implementation of quota in admission to educational institutions during the current academic session.
Mr. Singh pointed out that the State government had already appointed the new chairman and members to the Backward Class Commission and it was likely to begin hearing in the “next two to four days.” The Commission would examine a report prepared by the Institute of Development Studies on the comparative status of backward classes and analyse the “quantifiable data” vis-à-vis Gujjars.
Close associates of Col. Bainsla indicated that he did not wish to give an impression that Gujjars were a divided lot. The presence of Gujjar leaders opposed to Col. Bainsla in the Dausa function would have sent a message that his agitation was running out of steam.
Union Minister of State and the late leader's son Sachin Pilot is going to be the centre of attraction at the statue unveiling ceremony. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and a battery of Congress leaders are scheduled to attend the function.
Even as the Gujjars started dispersing from the venue of the siege in Sawai Madhopur and from dharnas at various places in Dausa, Bharatpur and Karauli districts, the additional police force deployed in the region maintained a strict watch for controlling the law and order situation.
