Gujjar Stir: Central Forces Rushed to Rajasthan as High Court Slams State's Inaction

The Rajasthan High Court on Thursday pulled up the BJP government for failing to arrest even a single Gujjar agitator and allowing people to suffer due to the "undemocratic" agitation that has crippled rail and road services in the state, following which the Centre sent additional paramilitary forces to help the state control the situation.

The Times of India, quoting a home ministry official, reported that 4,500 paramilitary personnel have been rushed to Rajasthan to assist the state government in handling the Gujjar agitation.

The action came after Chief Secretary CS Rajan and DGP Manoj Bhatt appeared before the high court and faced its wrath for failing to act against the Gujjar agitators, who have been causing a lot of suffering to people by their continued agitation.

The high court directed the chief secretary and the DGP to act immediately and remove all road and rail blockades and file an affidavit by Friday clarifying as to why action was not taken against the agitators.

The court also asked the state officials to give details of the losses caused to public and private property by the Gujjar agitation over their demand for 5% reservation in government jobs.

"You being the head of bureaucracy and law and order machinery are not bound to be mere spectators of the political dialogue between the Gujjar agitators and the state government," high court judge Justice RS Rathore told the chief secretary and the DGP.

"We cannot allow people to suffer for these undemocratic agitations. It seems that the both of you have gone senseless towards the plight of the public. We are making it clear in unambiguous terms to you that this court is keen to see that the blockades are removed immediately today itself with the train track and highway clear for movement overnight and we must be understood seriously while observing this," Justice Rathore said as per the TOI report.

Senior officials of Indian Railways and Railway Protection Force (RPF), who were also present during the hearing, were also pulled up by the high court over their inaction, as the agitators' disruptive activities have badly hit the services, especially on Delhi-Jaipur section.

The high court observations came in the wake of a contempt petition pending against Gujjar leaders, including Col Kirori Bainsla since 2008 for violating its orders.