Gujjars ready for talks with Rajasthan government

Colonel Kirori Singh Bainsla, who has been heading the Gujjar agitation in Rajasthan for the last few years, has agreed to hold talks with the state government over his community's demand for five per cent reservations in government jobs and educational institutions.

An eight-member Gujjar delegation will hold talks with the state government in a bid to find a solution to the problem that has caused huge losses to the tourism industry in Rajasthan due to road and rail blockades by agitators. This decision was taken at a mahapanchyat held at Jantar Mantar on Wednesday.

The Gujjars have given the state government a January 3 deadline to meet their reservation demand, after which they will decide on their further course of action. The stand-off between the Gujjars and the Rajasthan government entered the 10th day on Wednesday.

BJP rubbishes Gehlot's allegations

Meanwhile,

the Bharatiya Janata Party has dismissed allegations levelled by Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot that senior leaders of the party in connivance with former chief minister Vasundhara Raje Scindia had instigated Gujjar leaders to revive their agitation and create a chaotic situation in the state.

The Raje-led BJP lost the last state assembly elections in 2009 due to the party's inability to find an amicable solution to the Gujjars' demand for job reservations.

"Gehlot is trying to hide his frustration by resorting to such baseless allegations. Today he has said the BJP was involved in instigating Gujjars. Tomorrow he will dream that the BJP is responsible for floods in the state. He can say anything. The fact is that Gehlot has failed to provide a good administration in Rajasthan," said BJP vice president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi.

Gujjars agree to hold talks with Rajasthan government