Caught at the crossroads with their agitation to press for Schedule Tribe status being brought to a sudden halt, many Gujjars in Dausa district from where the violent protests spread feel the agreement between the Rajasthan government and their leaders on Monday is a "mere eyewash."

Though some hail the government's decision to set up a committee headed by a retired high court judge to examine the demand for ST status, others say the loss of lives, property and business in the past week is immense and the clock cannot be turned back.

"It is a mere eyewash. They have again constituted a committee which after some months might say Gujjars are not entitled to ST status," said Umaid Singh Gurjar who has been taking part in road blockade agitations on National Highway 11 at Bhandarej Mode, some 40 km from Dausa.

He said Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje promised them ST status when she was contesting elections and "now has succeeded in pressurising the Gujjar community."

Another protestor Vijay Singh [Images] said, "If the government had to come to this, there was no reason for us to protest" while hundreds of others gathered at Sikandara Mode said the community felt the government had "cheated" them.

Townspeople of Dausa complained the violence between the Gujjars and Meenas hit business real hard.