Around 500000 people are expected to gather in Jaipur on March 5 to demand caste census and greater political representation for the Jat community, an organiser of the gathering said on Monday.
Rajasthan Jat Mahasabha chief Rajaram Meel said community members from across the country were expected to attend the gathering. He said Jats account for around 21% of Rajasthan’s population and they want the Congress and BJP to give at least 40 tickets each to their candidates. “Greater political representation will increase our political clout,” he said.
The gathering is seen as part of the community’s show of strength ahead of the elections that are due in Rajasthan later this year. “Even if they do not say it so openly, Jats want a person from the community to be the chief minister. This has been their longstanding demand,” said political analyst Manish Godha.
Jat vote is crucial in Sikar, Jhunjhunu, Churu, Nagaur, Jodhpur, Barmer, and Bharatpur districts. Jats wield considerable clout as they generally vote en bloc, ensuring the victory or defeat of a party.
Community leaders say Jats Ramniwas Mirdha in 1972 and Sisram Ola in 2008 were denied the chief ministerial post.
Meel said they will indicate to Jats whom to vote for before the 2023 elections. “The party does not matter. We want good candidates.”
Meel said Jat leaders cutting across party lines were expected to attend the March 5 meeting. “We have invited leaders like former chief minister Vasundhara Raje, [state] BJP [Bharatiya Janata Party] President Satish Poonia, Congress state chief Govind Singh Dotasara, ministers, and lawmakers. We are expecting a gathering of around 500000.”
Meel said both the BJP-led Union and Congress-led state governments were ignoring the Jat community. “Once we had stalwarts like Sisram Ola, Nathuram Mirdha, Parasram Maderna, Kumbharam Arya. Today, there are only two junior ministers in the Union cabinet. Jat ministers in the Rajasthan government have no power.”
He added they want to bring the Jat community on one stage and show their strength. Meel said they were demanding a caste census so as to get a proportionate quota.
“Jats are 21-22% of the population in Rajasthan. We are not getting the reservation as per our population percentage. In the OBC [Other Backward Class] category, the government should increase the reservation to 27% immediately and then as per the caste census.”
He added they got the reservation in 1999 after a long agitation. “The government has since ignored Jats. If the government does not pay attention to the community, how will we progress.”
Rajasthan minister and Jat leader Harish Choudhary said the demand for a caste census and reservation is valid. “There is a perception that Jats are well-off. No one has the real facts or figures. Everything is based on perception. If there is a caste consensus, then the real numbers will come out and justice will be done.”
Meel said they will also deliberate on social issues and reforms. He added they will brainstorm on issues such as dowry, employment, literacy, improving educational facilities, building hostels, etc.