Celebrations at Ground Zero

Villagers in Piloopura, the epicentre of the Gujjar agitation, are ecstatic following the agreement signed with the Rajasthan government that gives the community 5 per cent reservation.

Kirori Singh Bainsala, chairman of the Gujjar Arakshan Sangharsh Samiti, who reached the Karwadi-Piloopura area from Jaipur on Wednesday night, said: “I am very happy with the agreement signed with the Rajasthan Government and I am calling off the agitation. The state government has given us more than what we demanded.”

Piloopura was thronging with Gujjar youngsters, women and elderly satisfied with their leader's achievement. Prakash Singh Kanjoli, a third year BA student in Karauli, said, "I am happy as our demand has been accepted by the government. We will get opportunities in government services after getting ST status." Ramprakash of Sawai Madhopur and Janki of Khoont Kheda said, "Our children will get government jobs which will improve our standard of living."

"Legal experts will be consulted to finalise the details of five per cent reservation to Gujjars and 14 per cent quota in the state assembly for poor upper castes," said Law Minister Ghanshyam Tiwari and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Rajendra Singh Rathore.

Train services resume

With the Gujjar agitation called off after 28 days, disrupted travel services are slowly getting back on track.

Services resumed on the Delhi-Mumbai railway track after the Railways began repair work on the track at Bayana in Bharatpur district. This segment had been closed for 27 days after Gujjar protestors had damaged the tracks, causing the Kota railway division to lose Rs.12.55 crore. "The agitators vacated the track at 8 am on Thursday and 600 railway employees began the task of repairing the tracks," said Arun Saxena, divisional railway manager, Kota.

Bus services to affected parts of the state started plying in the morning.