Rajasthan: Protest over separate quota for Mali community enters fifth day

Members of the Mali community demanding separate reservation refused to lift the blockade on the Jaipur-Agra National Highway in Bharatpur as the protest entered its fifth day on Tuesday, even as the Rajasthan government "agreed" to look into their demands.

A delegation of the community led by their leader Murari Lal Saini met Ashok Gehlot at his residence here and said that they had "positive talks" with the chief minister who also belongs to the Mali community.

Earlier in the day, a man belonging to the community allegedly hanged himself from a tree near the protest site over the quota issue, police said, adding the family members of the deceased refused to take the body and demanded compensation and a government job.

Saini, who is convener of the Phule Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti, said the state government has "agreed to look into our demands".  "We met the chief minister. The talks were positive. The government has written a letter to the OBC commission to conduct a survey on the various parameters of the community. We have to submit facts about the status of the community on May 1.

"Later, as per the survey, demand for the reservation will move forward," Saini told reporters.  However, he said that the decision on calling off the protest will only be taken by the people of the community at the protest site.   Meanwhile, the protesters did not accept the body of Mohan Singh who allegedly committed suicide.

"The family members and others refused to accept the body. They have demanded compensation and a government job," Nadbai DSP Nitiraj Singh said.  Members of the Mali community, which falls in the OBC category, are demanding a separate 12 per cent reservation, the formation of a separate Luv Kush Welfare Board and hostel facilities for the children of the community, among others.

The protesters, who are camping in tents since Friday, have blocked about one-kilometre stretch of 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.

On Friday, the protesters had blocked the highway and pelted stones at police personnel who retaliated by firing tear gas shells to control the mob. Following this, the police had put up barricades on the national highway in Ballabgarh, Halaina, Vair, Arauda and Ramaspur villages.

The Mali community held a similar protest in June last year, which ended after assurances from authorities that their grievances will be listened to.

Honouring social reformer Mahatma Jyotiba Phule, who belonged to the Mali community, the state government had recently formed the Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Welfare Board and declared April 11 as a state holiday commemorating the late leader's birth anniversary.