Former Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje’s “Suraj Sanklap” Yatra was greeted with protest and black flags by agitated Gujjars in Bayana under Bharatpur district on Sunday.
The protesters, waving black flags, shouted slogans when Ms Raje was addressing a public rally.
It was the second time in the last few days when angry Gujjars protested against Ms Raje while she was passing through Gujjar villages.
According to locals, the Gujjars blamed Ms Raje for the death of over 70 Gujjars during the quota agitation.
Sources said there was tight security in place at the venue but the Gujjars sneaked into the ground and waved black flags.
“It was difficult for the BJP leaders to pacify the agitated Gujjars, but the police intervened and pushed them back,” said an eyewitness from Bayana. The small town of Bayana was the epicentre of two Gujjar agitation and it has a sizeable population of the community.
Gujjar strongman K.S. Bainsla’s village also falls in the neighbouring district of Karauli, where the Gujjars had protested against Ms Raje when she was addressing a public gathering as part of her yatra. Mr Bainsla, who unsuccessfully contested the Lok Sabha election from Tonk as a BJP nominee but later resigned, has considerable influence over his community members in eastern Rajasthan.
During the agitation, the Gujjars camped in a nearby village of Pilukapura, 11 km from Bayana, and blocked the Delhi-Mumbai rail route for a couple of days.