Members of the Mali community continued to block the Jaipur-Agra National Highway in Bharatpur for the sixth consecutive day on Wednesday, demanding separate reservations, even as the Rajasthan government “agreed” to look into their demands.
A delegation of the community led by its leader Murari Lal Saini met Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot at his residence here on Tuesday, but the protestors have not vacated the highway as yet. The protestors have also not yet allowed the postmortem to be done on a man belonging to the community who allegedly hanged himself from a tree near the protest site over the quota issue, police said. They added that the family members of the deceased refused to take the body and demanded compensation and a government job.
Saini, who is the convener of the Phule Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti, said on Tuesday that the state government has “agreed to look into our demands”. However, he said the decision to call off the agitation has not yet been taken by the people of the community at the protest site.
Talks are being held with community members to end their protest. “The protest is still continuing. Talks are being held over their issues. The family members and others refused to accept the body. They have demanded compensation and a government job,” Nadbai Deputy Superintendent of Police Nitiraj Singh said.
Members of the Mali community, which falls in the OBC category, are demanding a separate 12 percent reservation, the formation of a separate Luv Kush Welfare Board, and hostel facilities for the children from the community, among others. The protesters, who are camping in tents, have blocked a one-kilometre stretch of the NH-21 near Arauda village by placing stones on the road. For those commuting between Jaipur and Agra, traffic has been diverted to avoid congestion, officials said.
