New Delhi/ Jaipur: A top leader of the Gurjar community, which has been protesting since July 29 for Scheduled Caste status, on Sunday agreed to a fifth round of talks with the Rajasthan government.
Col. (retired) Kirori Singh Bhainsla, convener of the Gurjar Mahapanchayat, agreed to talk with Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje in Jaipur after refusing to visit her again.
"I'm going for talks to Jaipur; I'll be taking four or five of my people. My demand is that Gurjars be given reservation. I expect a benevolent and justified consideration," he told CNN-IBN.
In Delhi, the Gurjar Mahapanchayat called for protests in the national capital on Monday and sealing of all entry points.
"Gurjars have been at the forefront of all struggles since 1857, but today it is the time to fight for ourselves. We do not want violence and the demonstrations (in Delhi) will be peaceful" former MLA Gopi Chand Gurjar told PTI.
The national executive of the Akhil Bharatiya Gurjar Mahasabha which met here, also lashed out at Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje for her initial "unwillingness" to talk to community leaders to find a solution to the row.
Gopi Chand, who is the Mahasabha spokesman, also accused both Congress and the BJP of trying to break their agitation.
The Delhi Police have increased security at all border points to prevent violence. "We are setting up additional security pickets at border points and deploying more personnel. We have also appealed to the community leaders not to indulge in violence," a senior police official said.
Members of the community in the Capital continued their agitation for inclusion in the ST list and to protest the police action, taking out demonstrations at several places braving the scorching sun.
Hundreds of Gurjars, led by Delhi NCP MLA Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, assembled on the Parliment Street this morning in a show of strength. The protestors raised anti-Raje slogans and burnt her effigies.
The leaders of the community also sought a CBI probe into the police firing and caste clashes in Rajasthan which claimed the lives of 26 people and imposition of President's rule in the state.
"The situation in the state has worsened and we appeal to the government to take all measures to restore peace in the state. But we do not think the Rajasthan government can do that. So we are demanding President's rule," Haryana MP Avtar Singh Bhadana said.
The BJP leadership during the election campaign in 2003 had "promised" to include the community in the ST list if they assumed power, "but they failed to keep the word which forced Gurjars to take to the streets," he said.
The community leaders have also sought time from President A P J Abdul Kalam, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and BJP president Rajnath Singh.
The death toll since Gurjars started an agitation on May 29 is now 25—five people were killed in clashes with Meenas, who are against ST status for Gurjars.
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