The agitation of the Karni Sena, an outfit claiming to represent the Rajput community, entered the third day on Tuesday with members stating that they would continue their protest until and unless their 22 demands are met.
Bhopal,UPDATED: Jan 11, 2023 04:58 IST
The Karni Sena members blocked the road leading from Avadhpuri to the inter-state bus terminus near Jambori Maidan in Bhopal to press their demands.
By Ravish Singh: The agitation of the Karni Sena, an outfit claiming to represent the Rajput community, entered the third day on Tuesday with members stating that they would continue their protest until and unless their 22 demands are met.
Reservation on the basis of economic grounds and no arrest without probe in SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act cases are some of the key demands of the Karni Sena, which launched an indefinite protest in Madhya Pradesh’s Bhopal from Sunday onwards. The Karni Sena members blocked the road leading from Avadhpuri to the inter-state bus terminus near Jambori Maidan in Bhopal to press their demands.
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Karni Sena’s Madhya Pradesh chief Jeevan Singh Sherpur, who is leading the movement, announced his decision to contest the Madhya Pradesh elections this year and made it clear that the people of Karni Sena will not leave Bhopal until their demands are met. Singh, and four other Karni Sena activists, have begun an indefinite fast to press for their demands.
“The activists are demanding reservation on economic grounds so that the poor of all communities can benefit. Reservation should be given only to one generation of a family. Arrests without investigation under the SC/ST Act should be stopped, and a law should also be made to protect the interests of the general category,” said Sherpur.
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He said one of the demands was also to exempt food grains and essential commodities from Goods and Services Tax to curb inflation.
“Lakhs of people are coming from across the state as well as from Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra to Bhopal to throw weight behind the agitation of the Karni Sena. There is no response from the government yet…the government should understand why the Karni Sena members are angry and pay heed to their demands,” said Sherpur.
Speaking about the Karni Sena’s movement, former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath said, “I had made it a tradition in my government that the problems of all organizations should be heard and discussed.” Madhya Pradesh is set to go to the polls later this year.
