Jats from Rajasthan’s 2 districts announce blockade from Dec 25 over quota

Though Jats get quota benefits in the state, community members of Bharatpur and Dholpur districts have been excluded from reservation in the Union government’s services.

Jats from Rajasthan’s Bharatpur and Dholpur districts will launch an agitation at Kherli Mode in Bhusawar near Agra-Jaipur national highway-21 on December 25 to demand reservation under the other backward classes (OBC) category in central government jobs.

Jats have threatened to block highways and railway tracks from December 25 if their quota demand is not met. (HT Photo)

Bharatpur-Dholpur Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti convener Nem Singh and other Jat leaders held a press on Monday to announce the quota stir, which they called ‘mahapadaw’, from December 25, which is locally remembered as Bharatpur founder Maharaja Surajmal’s Sacrifice Day.

“On November 18 at the Jat mahapanchayat in Pathena village, we had given 20 days to the state government to send a recommendation letter to the Centre for granting us quota benefits under the OBC category. The state government has not yet considered our demand,” Nema said.

Though Jats get quota benefits in the state, community members of Bharatpur and Dholpur districts have been excluded from reservation in the Union government’s services. These Jats were denied the reservation as they belonged to the ruling class during the pre-Independence era and were not considered socially or economically backward. Though the state government incorporated them in the OBC list in 2017, the issue has been hanging fire with the Centre.

“We have been forced to launch an agitation as the government has not acted on our demand. We urge people to celebrate Maharaja Surajmal’s Sacrifice Day and then participate in the mahapadaw. National and state highways, and railway tracks will be blocked during the agitation,” Singh said.

The Gurjar Aarakshan Sangarsh Samiti, led by Kirori Singh Meena, had launched an agitation last month at Peelpura in Bharatpur for the inclusion of Jat quota in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution and a 5% reservation in the Most Backward Classes (MBCs) category for state government jobs. The agitation was called off after reaching an agreement with the state government.