Gujjar mahapanchayat in Raj ends with warning of another agitation

Jaipur, Oct 17 At the mahapanchayat called by the Gujjar community in Adda village in Bharatpur district on Saturday, community leaders gave an ultimatum to the state government of staging a massive agitation from November 1 if their demands are not fulfilled.

Speaking to , Himmat Singh, a Gujjar leader, said, "We have asked the government to meet all our demands such as getting 5 per cent reservation under the Most Backward Class (MBC) segment, among others, else we shall launch a statewide agitation from November 1.

The Gurjar Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti called the mahapanchayat after around two years in Adda village.

Surprisingly, the convenor of the Gurjar Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti, Colonel Kirori Singh Bainsla, reached the venue at around 4 p.m. while the meeting was supposed to start at 11 a.m. He was there on stage for about an hour. The mahapanchayat concluded at 5 p.m. after giving an ultimatum to the state government of staging another movement if their demands were not met.

Although the Gujjar community members had hinted at postponing their agitation in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic and the crop harvesting season, Bainsla gave an ultimatum of 15 days to the state government for fulfilling all their demands.

On the eve of the mahapanchayat on Friday, the administration had suspended 2G/3G/4G data services, WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms in some Rajasthan districts.

Internet services were suspended at midnight on October 16 and will remain suspended till Saturday midnight. The services have been suspended in Bayana, Weir, Bhusawar and Rupwas in Bharatpur district.

Since last many years, Gujjars have been raising demand for 5 per cent reservation under the Most Backward Class (MBC) segment.

Earlier, the mahapanchayat was supposed to be held in Malarna Dungar village in Sawai Madhopur district, but the venue was later changed to Adda village in Bharatpur.

( With inputs from IANS )