Cabinet Secy, Union Home Secy review Gujjar agitation

NEW DELHI: With the Gujjar agitation threatening to spill over to neighbouring states, the Centre today reviewed at a high level meeting the situation in Rajasthan and discussed measures to deal with the situation which has acquired a serious dimension.

The meeting, chaired by Cabinet Secretary K M Chandrasekhar, was attended by Union Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta, Special Secretary (Internal Security) M L Kumawat and senior officers of para-military forces.

The Centre has already rushed over 2,000 para-military personnel, including those from CRPF and Rapid Action Force, to the state since trouble broke out on Friday.

Today's meeting came in the backdrop of Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhra Raje writing to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to convene a meeting of Chief Ministers of concerned states to discuss the "sensitive" issue of according Scheduled Tribe status to Gujjars.

A Home Ministry official said that the situation was being closely monitored.

Army was deployed in the affected areas after 16 people were killed in police firing and clashes on Friday. A police firing at Dausa on Saturday claimed 19 lives.

The Northern Railway cancelled nine trains passing through Rajasthan and diverted several others through different routes in view of the agitation.

The Union Home Ministry has already alerted Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and the national capital to maintain a strict vigil to prevent any fallout.