After a mass arrest programme on Tuesday, the Gurjars plan to continue their protest now at Tehsil headquarters in Rajasthan, to reinforce their demand for their inclusion in the Scheduled Tribe category.

Though the Gurjar sources claimed that about 15,000 more men from their community turned up at different destinations on Wednesday to court arrest, official sources said that the formalities were still being done. Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje reviewed the situation after Tuesday’s mass arrests with home minister and the home secretary.

The home secretary V S Singh said that the final figure of Gurjars who courted arrest at the seven points on Tuesday throughout the state was 56,719.

The number was earlier estimated to be close to one lakh, whereas the Gurjar spokesperson had claimed that over 4.50 lakh Gurjars had congregated to offer arrest.

The state government’s emissaries—health minister Dr Digambar Singh and Bhawani Singh Rajawat visited  Bharatpur and Jaipur Central Jail to meet Gurjar leaders Col  Kirori Singh Bainsla and Congress MP Sachin Pilot.

It was termed as courtesy visit. While Colonel Bainsla has vowed to stay in prison till the state government sends the desired recommendation letter to the centre, the home minister has said that the state government was ready to hold talks with Gurjar leaders.

The Gurjar sources complained of rotten food and improper arrangements in jails causing inconvenience to their men. The home secretary, however, said that their complaint was contradictory since they were complaining of shortage of food and stale food at the same time. He however, did admit that the large number of arrests was creating management problem.