Jaipur, Aug 4 (IANS) Tension escalated in Rajasthan’s capital Jaipur on Monday after a protest led by the Shri Rajput Karni Sena turned confrontational during its ‘Savarna Nyay Padyatra’ against the proposed University Grants Commission (UGC) regulations and other demands concerning the upper-caste community.
Following a scuffle between protesters and police, Karni Sena national president Mahipal Singh Makrana demanded the immediate suspension of police personnel allegedly involved in the confrontation and warned that the organisation would gherao (lay siege to) the Chief Minister’s residence if action was not taken.
Makrana alleged that protesters were mistreated despite carrying out a peaceful march and said the agitation would be intensified across the country if the administration failed to act against those responsible.
The 24-day Savarna Nyay Padyatra, which began from Deshnok in Bikaner district, reached Jaipur after covering nearly 600 kilometres on foot. Protesters were marching to the District Collectorate to submit a memorandum addressed to the President of India. Police had initially stopped the procession near the 200-Feet Bypass and later erected barricades near the Jhotwara Flyover, citing law-and-order concerns. As protesters attempted to move towards the Collectorate, police used water cannons to disperse the crowd.
Despite the police action, protesters carrying saffron flags advanced after removing barricades, leading to brief scuffles between police personnel and demonstrators. Following the confrontation, Mahipal Singh Makrana accused the police of using excessive force against protesters.
He demanded the immediate suspension of the police personnel allegedly involved in the scuffle and warned that if no action was taken, the Karni Sena would stage a protest outside the Chief Minister’s residence. “We came to Jaipur to peacefully submit a memorandum. If action is not taken against the guilty officials, we will intensify the agitation and lay siege to the Chief Minister’s residence,” Makrana said.
Addressing supporters, Makrana described the proposed UGC regulations as “anti-student” and alleged that they would adversely affect the future of young people from the upper-caste community. He claimed the proposed provisions could unfairly impact students at an early stage of their academic careers and urged the Centre to withdraw them. According to Makrana, the padyatra was organised to raise these concerns through democratic and peaceful means.
Makrana also alleged that the administration attempted to prevent protesters from reaching Jaipur by restricting movement and creating obstacles during the march. He said the organisation intended only to submit a memorandum to the President through the District Collector and accused the administration of creating an atmosphere of confrontation. The Karni Sena chief further alleged that the demands of the upper-caste community had been ignored despite months of peaceful demonstrations.
Despite the confrontation, Karni Sena members eventually reached the District Collectorate and submitted a memorandum addressed to the President of India through the District Collector. The memorandum reportedly seeks the withdrawal of the proposed UGC regulations and raises issues concerning the interests of the upper-caste community. Following the protest and Makrana’s warning, security was heightened around the Collectorate and other sensitive locations in Jaipur, with additional police personnel deployed to maintain law and order.
–IANS
arc/uk
