A case was registered, on Sunday, 18 October, at the Bayana Police station against Gujjar leader Kirori Singh Bainsla and 32 others for holding Mahapanchayat in Bharatpur in violation of COVID-19 protocols, reported ANI.
A congregation of more than 100 people amid the COVID-19 crisis could not be held in the state, ANI had previously reported, citing the National Disaster Management Act and Rajasthan Epidemic Ordinance, 2020,
What Was the Mahapanchayat About?
In a warning to Ashok Gehlot government in Rajasthan, Gujjar leader Kirori Singh Bainsala, on Saturday, 17 October, sought acceptance for their demands including reservation in jobs and education as a “most backward class”, reported ANI.
Bainsala reportedly warned at a Gujjar Mahapanchayat in Bharatpur that if the Rajasthan government does not make provisions for it, they will have face a large scale agitation from 1 November onwards.
According to ANI, Gujjar told the media on Sunday:
“What we did was ‘shakti pradarshan’ (show of strength). I am giving a warning to the government. The number of people came on Saturday, it was easy to do ‘Andolan’ (protest) but looking at the present situation we decided to give more time to the government.”
Further, he said that they will make a decision on 1 November and, “If our demands are not met then our andolan will continue in the future”.
In the wake of the call for Mahapanchayat by the Gujjar community, internet services were suspended in parts of Bharatpur, reported ANI.
According to ANI, in December 2018, the Rajasthan government approved one percent reservation for Gujjars and four other backward castes (OBCs).
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