Gurjars block highway, damage rail tracks

New Delhi: As the Gurjar protest entered Day 4 on Monday, battlelines were clearly drawn.

Gurjars stepped up their protest, blockading the national highway (NH8) that connects the national Capital Delhi to Jaipur and removed railway tracks in Bayana, the epicentre of the unrest.

Northern Railways has cancelled nine trains, mostly originating from Delhi, passing through Rajasthan and diverted several others to different routes.

The state government has retaliated by jamming communication networks, including mobile phones in the area and moved in more security forces. The Rajasthan government has also taken news channels off air.

Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav and senior leader Amar Singh have been detained on the outskirts of Bayana, the epicentre of the protest.

They were on their way to Bharatpur to participate in the agitation when they were stopped by the police on the Jaipur-Agra highway.

The standoff between Rajasthan government and Gurjars escalated on Sunday with Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje warning of tough action against violent agitators.

On Monday, toughening his stand, Gurjar leader Kirori Singh Bainsla demanded that the Chief Minister come to the agitation site and hold talks with the community members.

“There is no question of relenting this time. If we do, then history will call us cowards. Only Chief Minister Raje should come and talk to the community members present here. After all, we are her own people," Bainsala was quoted by news agency PTI as saying.

Meanwhile, Rajasthan Home Secretary, VS Singh, told CNN-IBN, that a Cabinet meeting on the Gurjar agitation was being held. "We have sent an open invitation to them for talks," he added.

He also stated that there was no need for commando action. "A2, which maintains law and order under the civil administration is managing the situation," Singh said.

Amid all this confusion, Union Home minister for State, Sripraksh Jaiswal has threatened to bring article 356 in force in Rajastan.

Tough Stand

Raje, who made an aerial survey of the site on Sunday, warned of strong measures. The Gurjars, led by Kirori Singh Bainsala, had earlier rejected her offer for talks in Jaipur.

Toughening her stand, Raje had told mediapersons that if goonda elements took law into their hand, then "none will be worse than us".

"There is a limit to everything and the government will not allow Gurjars to take the state to ransom. If they challenge law and order, break rules or put the state in trouble, then even we will answer them accordingly," she said.

"With joined hands, I am appealing to all the people to maintain law, order and peace, so that we can solve all problems in future," she added.

Meanwhile, sporadic incidents of violence and rail and road blockade continue to affect life in many parts of Rajasthan.

National highways, including one leading to the tourist hotspot of Udaipur, have been blocked due to protests.

An engine and six wagons of a goods train derailed in Dausa district along the Bandikui-Agra section after the track was removed by Gurjar agitators.

Trains on the Delhi-Mumbai route have either been cancelled or diverted as thousands of of Gurjars are sitting on the track at Peelupura in Bayana, the epicentre of the protest.

Meanwhile the death toll in the violence has reached 37.

The rail traffic in Rajasthan remained affected for the third consecutive day with nine trains, mostly originating from Delhi, being cancelled in the interest of passengers safety, a Railway official said.

Trains From and To	Train Name
Mumbai - Ferozpur	Janta Express
Mumbai - Nizamuddin	Agast Kranti Express
Kota - Nizamuddin	Jan Shatabdi
Bandra - Nizamuddin	Maharashtra Sampark Kranti express
Mumbai - Amritsar	Suwarna Mandir mail
Bandra - Gorakhpur	Awadh Express
Bandra - Derhradun	Dehradun Express
Nizamuddin - Udaipur	Mewar Express
Nizamuddin - Indore	Dehradun Link Express
Amritsar-Mumbai	Suwarna Mandir Mail