Quota demand: Jaipur-Agra NH 21 blocked for 2nd day, Net suspended

ALWAR/JAIPUR: National Highway 21 connecting Jaipur and Agra via Bharatpur remained blocked for the second consecutive day on Saturday as people from Mali, Saini, Kushwaha, Shaqya and Morya communities continued their protests with the demand for a 12% separate quota in government jobs and education institutes.
Internet services were suspended since 12am on Saturday to 12pm on Sunday by the divisional commissioner at Nadbai, Vair and Bhuswar tehsils of Bharatpur. The protesters, under the banner of Saini-Kushwah Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti (SKASS), put big boulders on the road to block the movement of vehicles and staged a sit-in at Aroda and Bairi villages near Halena of Bharatpur.
The protesters have been blocking the highway since 7.30pm on Friday to protest the arrest of 11 people ahead of their highway jam demand. "It would have been a peaceful protest, but they arrested 11 of our people ahead of our protest call. The administration should first release them. Only then we will think about attending the talks whatsoever," said SKASS co-convener Vasudev Kushwah to TOI.
The protesters were given breakfast and lunch at the dharna spot itself as they sat with batons and iron rods on the highway. They belong to an OBC category that gets 21% reservation, but they are demanding its bifurcation with 12% for communities including Mali, Saini, Kushwaha, Shaqya and Morya.
"We are monitoring the situation. Efforts were made to have talks, but nothing fruitful has emerged so far. No untoward incident was witnessed. Vehicles running between Jaipur and Agra are being diverted through parallel routes," said Bharatpur SP Shyam Singh.
Bharatpur divisional commissioner Sanwar Mal Verma ordered the suspension of internet services, except broadband and lease lines, at Nadbai, Vair and Bhusawar tehsils of Bharatpur till 12 am on Sunday.
Sources said the main leaders of the protesters have already been arrested, and there is currently nobody leading the protest. Police teams are keeping themselves at a distance from the protest site and monitoring the situation.