The Gurjar community in Rajasthan is set to launch a major agitation against the state government for failing to implement 5 per cent Special Backward Class (SBC) quota in educational institutes and government jobs for the community.
Gurjar leaders have called for a public meeting at Sikandra on Saturday, nearly 70 kilometers from the state capital Jaipur and the venue has witnessed bloodshed during previous reservation agitations.
"Gurjar's have been duped time and again by the government, now it's only agitation path left for us and that we have successfully displayed in past. The meeting in Sikandra will mark beginning of new agitation," Gurjar leader Himmat Singh told The Statesman after talks between government and agitation committee representative failed on Thursday.
The state government had agreed to demands of Gurjar agitation committee after the last agitation and placed Gurjar's and other semi nomadic tribes in special backward class (SBC) category. A provision of 5 per cent exclusive reservation was also made for SBC in admission at educational institutes and recruitment in government jobs.
However, a high court order stayed the process as the total reservation in the state exceeded the cap of 50 per cent quota. A petition of Gurjar representative in this regard got discarded at Supreme Court earlier this week.
On Thursday again state government assured the agitation leaders that they will get the bill through on lines of Tamil Nadu which has 69 per cent reservation. The Gurjar leaders were unimpressed.
Previous agitations have held the entire eastern Rajasthan hostage for several weeks. The Gurjar leaders have said that they will not shy away from a bigger agitation this time.