Ahead of Rajasthan polls, Jat leaders seek greater political representation

Ahead of the assembly elections due in Rajasthan later this year, Jat leaders on Sunday demanded greater political representation for the community and an increase in reservation for the Other Backward Classes (OBC).

Addressing the 'Jat Mahakumbh', Rajasthan Jat Mahasabha head Raja Ram Meel also called for a caste-based survey.

“The participation of the community leaders should be increased in politics. There are two ministers at the Centre but both are ministers of state. The government is wrongly assessing our strength," Meel said.

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He further said that there should be a caste census in Rajasthan, claiming that Jats' population in the state is 22 per cent.

"Likewise, the OBC population is 55 per cent. The OBC reservation should be increased from 21 per cent to 27 per cent in Rajasthan,” Meel said.

At the gathering held at Vidhyadhar Nagar Stadium, Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait called on farmers to be ready for an agitation against the ban on diesel tractors older than 10 years.

Tikait said, “Farmers should be ready. A movement will have to be started again in the country against the policy to ban tractors older than 10 years. In the agitation, the people of Rajasthan would be on the forefront of the movement.”

“Whether it is the government of the state or the central government, we are not against any party. But if there is any wrong policy of the governments, then there will be an agitation," he said.

In the Mahakumbh, Jat leaders from both the Congress and the BJP participated and talked on the issues pertaining to the community.

Congress leader Rameshwar Dudi said that the next chief minister should be from the Jat community.

“The community always thinks of number one seat - Which is the number one seat? The number one seat is of the chief minister. People in politics are scared to speak this, but I am not afraid. Today I demand that the next chief minister of Rajasthan should be a farmer's son, a Jat's son.”

Rajasthan Congress chief Govind Singh Dotasara said it does not matter which party he belongs to as he belongs to the community first.

“In whatever capacity I am, the leader of my party and even after rising above the ideology of my party, I belong to the community first.”

He suggested not utter a single wrong word against any other community and if the community is helping someone, then it should be done silently.

State BJP president Satish Poonia said the Jat people are known for social harmony, hard work, honesty and patriotism.

“It is our character and strength. That is why all the communities use to stand with us in the Panchayati Raj elections but now attempts are made to create a divide... we need to understand this,” he said.

Union Minister of State for Agriculture Kailash Chaudhary highlighted the contribution of Jat community in various sectors, including the defence forces.

Meal, the Rajasthan Jat Mahasabha chief, also said that the Centre's Agnipath recruitment scheme is not justified.

Rajasthan ministers Vishvendra Singh, Hemaram Chaudhary, Congress MLAs Harish Chaudhary, Krishna Poonia, former MP Santosh Ahlawat, former Assembly Speaker Sumitra Singh and other Jat leaders were also present in the programme.