Gurgaon/Jaipur: The Gujjar agitation for ST status on Wednesday spread to the National Capital Region (NCR) with protesters blocking traffic on certain key stretches as agitators forced shutdowns in several areas in Rajasthan.

A group of protesters set tyres afire in Gurgaon's M G Road area, where major malls are located, causing a major traffic jam, police said. They dispersed after police intervened. Vehicular movement was affected in sections of Mehrauli-Gurgaon and GT-Karnal roads by protesters who put up blockades.

With the Gujjars threatening to bring the NCR to a halt on Thursday, large contingents of police are keeping a close watch across the Capital, especially in Gujjar-strongholds of Mehrauli, Ghazipur, Patparganj, Badarpur, Khanpur, Ayanagar, Chilia village and Rampur. In Rajasthan, the agitators forced shutdowns in Tonk, Sawaimadhopur, Rajsamand, Rawatbhata, Pali and Deoli areas.

Traffic was also affected on the Jaipur-Agra, Jaipur- Kota and Udaipur-Ahmedabad national highways, police sources in Jaipur said. Rajasthan government has clamped the stringent National Security Act in 15 districts, under which a person can be arrested without a warrant.

Meanwhile, the Rajasthan government on Wednesday said the reservation should be done at the central level and asked the community members to "use their wisdom". "Now the entire proceedings of reservation should be done at the Centre level. The Gujjar community should take their initiatives to the Centre and use their wisdom," Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje said in a full-page advertisement carried by leading newspapers.

She also appealed to the Gujjars to stop violence, understand the reservation procedure and come forward to settle the issue through dialogue. While the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) has referred the issue of reservation sought for Gujjars by Raje to the Law Ministry, the Congress dismissed her recommendation saying it was "immature" and legally untenable.

Source : PTI