Loss due to Gujjar agitation

M Shamsur Rabb Khan

Jaipur

Thu, 12 Jun 2008: 

As the Gujjar agitation seems not to die down due to fresh threat from Col. Bainsala to intensify the stir unless the 24 women arrested in Bandikui district were denied bail, the losses – both economic and movement of the people – incurred are already touching the sky. The women, who were involved in bloing the railway track near Bandikui, were booked under the Railway Protection of Property Act, National Security Act and under IPC 307.

Hope came alive three days ago when both the government and the agitators seem to agree for a peaceful settlement of the issue. However, Bainsala has once again threatened to continue with the agitation till the community’s demands are met, which also include arrested women’s release. Gujjars seems in no mood to accept anything less than a concrete recommendation letter by the Rajasthan government accepting their demands.

Two weeks of Gujjar stir have resulted into huge economic loss apart from over 40 human lives that have been lost due the police bullets. While India Inc. lost Rs. 50 billion, Indian Railway suffered Rs. 29.6 million till May 29, according to Northern Railway spokesperson.

The loss does not include the inconvenience caused to passengers who were stranded at stations and disruption to goods transport, according to V N Dhoot, president, Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry (ASSOCAHM). The losses are in addition to the physical damage to train tracks because of the stir called by the Gujjars to demand Scheduled Tribe status in Rajasthan.

A 2-km stretch of railway line in Pilupura near Bayana under Kota division of West Central Railway (WCR) has been badly damaged by the agitators, which would take a long time for the railway authorities to fix the track and set the rail traffic back to normal.

Normal life came to halt owing to as many as 75 trains, including Rajdhanis and Shatabdis from New Delhi remained cancelled on Delhi-Mumbai route. Passengers, tourists and office goers had had tough time, as the agitators continued to capture the railway tracks at Bayana and Bandikui and refused to back down from its agitation unless their demands were met. All appeals from the Rajasthan government were turned down. An estimated 40,000 passengers were stranded at railway stations in Jaipur, Delhi and Agra. Till May 29, refunds were made to about 37,000 people. The NWR suffered Rs. 15 million per day due to container trains stranded at Jaipur.

According to members of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), the ongoing agitation has also inconvenienced industrial establishments, mainly in the areas bordering the national capital and Rajasthan.

A year ago, Gujjars in Rajasthan fought police and members of another caste, e.g. Meenas that already qualifies for job quotas. At least 26 people were killed in that violence.

In response, the Rajasthan government constituted Chopra Committee to look into the demands of the community for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. Though the Committee rejected the demand by Gujjars in Rajasthan for ST status, it acknowledged the fact that there is need to review the criteria used to determine a group’s ‘tribal’ status. However, the Rajasthan government’s response to the Committee’s recommendations has been lackluster. The Committee also suggested a special package to the Gujjar community living in under-developed and remote areas of Rajasthan

Reservation or special status has always been a contentious issue in India. We have seen much of the stirs and losses due to Mandal Commission (1979) or recent 27 percent reservation for OBC in higher institutions. Interestingly, while talking to NDTV correspondent right in the middle of the railway track, Col. Bainsala asked for a 10-year ST status for the Gujjar community. During that period, as he thinks, the community would be able to compensate for the backwardness losses that currently it has been suffering from, and this is not a big ask.

In the tussle between the Gujjar community and the Rajasthan government, the people are made to suffer apart from normal economic and business activities that remained badly affected. National property is also targeted by the agitators. While the Raje government does not seem to extend the desired demands of the Gujjar community and the Gujjar community too seems to intensify the stir, the economic losses would no doubt increase every day.