Citing unfulfilled demands, Gujjars threaten to not let Rahul Gandhi and Bharat Jodo Yatra enter Rajasthan

“According to our previous agreements with the state government, appointment was to be given in jobs which were in the pipeline and advertised when the law of 5 per cent reservation for MBC communities was passed. In the 2018 manifesto of the Congress, the party promised to give us recruitment in the backlog jobs. If the government doesn’t listen to us, we will not let Rahul Gandhi enter Rajasthan for the Bharat Jodo Yatra,” said Vijay Bainsla.

The Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government in Rajasthan had 2019 passed the Rajasthan Backward Classes (Reservation of Seats in Educational Institutions in the State and of Appointments and Posts in Services under the State) (Amendment) Bill, 2019, extending five per cent reservation to five communities under the MBC category- Banjara/Baldiya/Labana, Gadiya Lohar/Gadoliya, Gujar/Gurjar, Raika/Rebari/Debasi, Gadariya/ Gadri/Gayari.

Vijay, who recently completed a yatra stretching to 75 Gujjar-dominated Assembly constituencies that culminated in the immersion of the ashes of the late Col Bainsla in Pushkar, accused the state government of not fulfilling its promises.

“The government had promised that it would withdraw cases registered against members of the community in previous agitations for reservation but it hasn’t done so yet. Over 13,000 scholarships under the Devnarayan yojana are not being disbursed. This is pure negligence on part of the chief minister and the government,” said Vijay Bainsla.

According to Congress sources, Gandhi is scheduled to enter Rajasthan as part of the Bharat Jodo Yatra around December 3. The Yatra will first enter the Jhalawar District in Rajasthan from Madhya Pradesh, said the sources.

“There are 75 Assembly constituencies that have at least 31,000 to 78,000 votes of the MBC communities. We are fighting for our next generation. The eight Gujjar MLAs are completely speaking the language of political parties and they remember the community only around the elections,” said Vijay.