Bayana: Talks between Gujjars, who are on a warpath on job reservation issue, and Rajasthan government on Sunday failed to break the deadlock with protesters unrelenting on their demand for 5 per cent quota even as they continued blockade of certain rail and road routes in the state.
Gujjar leader Col (retd) Kirori Singh Bainsla rejected the government's offer to set up a committee with him as one of the members to resolve the reservation issue.
"I want a permanent solution to this because I do not want to leave things half-way," he said, threatening to intensify the stir if their demands were not met within seven days.
Energy Minister Jitendra Singh, an emissary of the state government, said the Gehlot administration is committed to reservation for the Gujjars but before that it has to undertake a quantifiable data of nomadic tribes who come under the five per cent category.
"Although the High Court has given a year's time, the government may finish the task much earlier," he said.
The government is ready to set up a committee with Bainsla as one of its members to resolve the stand-off, the minister said.
The first round of government-Gujjar talks was held at Pilukapura, the epicentre of the stir, some 11-km from Bayana in Bharatpur district.
Terming the meeting as inconclusive, Bainsla said the agitation would be called off only after the state government fulfilled their quota demand.
He set a deadline of seven days to the government for meeting their demands and threatened to escalate the agitation if this was not done.
"You (minister) are always welcome here but when you come here next time, come with a written order on reservation," Bainsla said.
The minister offered to set up a committee with Bainsla as one of its members to monitor the quantifiable data collection exercise as directed by the High Court.
On day seven of their stir, Gujjars attempted to block more rail and road routes in the state.
"Protesters tried to block narrow gauge rail lines in Bari area but the security forces thwarted them and controlled the situation," Circle Officer, Bari, Manvendra Singh said.
"They also tried to block Basedi road but could not do so due to the presence of the Rapid Action Force," he said.
There is no movement of trains on Jaipur-Delhi, Delhi-Mumbai, Jaipur-Kota and Ajmer-Indore tracks in Dausa, Bharatpur, Bhilwara and Tonk districts respectively as the Gujjars continued to occupy the tracks.
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