Rajasthan: Roadblocks, stone-pelting, tear gas as Mali community protests for separate reservation

Demanding 12 per cent separate reservation in government jobs and educational institutions, people from the Mali community on Friday blocked the key Jaipur-Agra National Highway in Bharatpur and pelted stones at police which fired tear gas shells to control the mob.

Members of the community held a meeting with social justice department officials in Jaipur, according to a statement.

The community comes under OBC and they are now demanding a separate 12 per cent reservation. They had already announced that they would block the highway on Friday.

In view of the agitation, the police had put up barricades on the road at Ballabhgarh, Halaina, Vair, Aronda and Ramaspur villages connected to the highway so that the agitators could not reach the key road.

However, several protesters created a ruckus and pelted stones at the police which lobbed tear gas shells to control the mob.

"The agitators pelted stones at police following which mild force was used to disperse them. Tear gas was also used," Superintendent of Police Shyam Singh said.

The unruly mob blocked the highway later in the evening, the SP said, adding he and other officers are present at the site to monitor the situation.

Nadbai MLA Joginder Singh Awana, one of the six BSP-turned Congress legislators, demanded action against the officials for using force against the agitators, and said that the government should resolve the issue.

Awana said he had supported the reservation demand for the community during a meeting of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot in his constituency.

It may be noted that chief minister Ashok Gehlot also comes from the Mali community.

According to the statement, at the meeting in Jaipur, representatives of the Saini community demanded 12 per cent reservation, formation of a separate Luv Kush Welfare Board and hostel facilities for the children of the community among others. Sainis are also part of the Mali community.

Harimohan Meena, director of the department, assured the representatives of conveying their demands to the higher levels.