Two ministers of Rajasthan Government to talk to Gujjars

Jaipur, June 9: In a bid to break the deadlock with the agitating Gujjars, the Rajasthan government today asked Irrigation Minister Sanwarmal Jat and Mines Minister Laxmi Narayan Dave to initiate dialogue with them at Bayana in Bharatpur district.

The Gujjars have been agitating in support of their demand for being granted Scheduled Tribe status.

The ministers will hold talks with the Gujjar Arakshan Sangharsh Samiti led by Colonel (retired) Kirori Singh Bainsla to bring an end to the 17- daylong agitation, which has seen 38 people dead and crippled normal life across the state.

The State Government on Sunday agreed to Gujjars’ demand to send representatives for talks in Bayana and not in Jaipur as it wanted.

BJP president Om Prakash Mathur said that the first round of dialogue, which is scheduled to begin in Bayana, is proposed to be concluded in Jaipur depending on the outcome of Monday's negotiations.

However, he refused to comment on any package that the State Government would offer to the agitating Gujjars.

Earlier, Union Tribal Affairs Minister P R Kyndiah rejected a suggestion of the State Government for amending the Constitution for granting nomadic or de-notified tribe status to the Gujjars and said Rajasthan Government could enact legislation under article 16 of the Constitution to make provisions for reservation to nomadic or de-notified tribes other than Scheduled caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST) and Originally Backward Classes (OBCs). (ANI)

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