The Jat community in Bharatpur-Dholpur is intensifying its demand for reservation in central government jobs. A protest meeting was convened on Sunday at the Bhuteshwar Temple ground in Januthar town, situated 17 kilometres from Deeg city.
Nem Singh Faujdar, coordinator of the Bharatpur-Dholpur Jat Reservation Struggle Committee, issued a 10-day ultimatum to the central government. Faujdar stated that if the Jats of Bharatpur-Dholpur do not receive reservations within this period, a massive protest is planned for January 17 near Jaycholi village on the Delhi-Mumbai railway track.
Subsequent phases are proposed in Bedam village (Bharatpur) and Rarah village (Bharatpur), involving railway blockades. The dates for the second and third phases are pending confirmation.
Vishvendra Singh, guardian of the Reservation Struggle Committee and former cabinet minister, joined the protest meeting at 1:20 pm, affirming his commitment to the cause. Singh highlighted the historical significance of Maharaja Surajmal and Maharaja Jawahar Singh, emphasising unity among Jats for this demand.
He rallied support, questioning whether the BJP, with two Jat MLAs from the area, believes it doesn’t require reservation. MLA Ritu Banawat expressed her support, challenging the BJP’s stance on the reservation. The absence of MLA Shailesh Singh from Deeg-Kumher was questioned, emphasising the local youth’s backing and their need for a reservation.
Singh assured that Jats in Bharatpur-Dholpur would secure central government reservation, urging the crowd to withhold support for the BJP in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections if their demand remains unmet.
MLA Ritu Banawat, in solidarity, wrote to the PM advocating for Jat reservation in central government jobs. She pledged to consistently raise this issue in the assembly, emphasising the unjust denial based on geographical considerations. She called upon the CM and PM to address the issue and questioned the discrimination against the Jat community in these two districts.
The demand for Jat reservation in central government jobs in Bharatpur and Dholpur has persisted since 1998. In 2013, the Manmohan Singh government provided OBC reservations for Jats in these districts. However, the reservation was revoked in 2015 after the BJP came to power. In 2017, the Vasundhara Raje government reinstated the OBC reservation for Jats in both districts, yet the central government has not implemented this reservation.
Nem Singh Faujdar reported efforts made since September 2021, including recommendations from former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and discussions with central government ministers, but reservation remains elusive. With the current BJP government in power in both Rajasthan and the centre, the Jat community hopes for a resolution without further struggle.
