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Why for women? Protesting Gujjar men won't share quota

Our men still feel that only they can uplift our clan and women work is restricted to household chores

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Gujjars during their agitation at Bharat Pur on Wednesday
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For the last seven days in the blistering sun over 600 men have been guarding and blocking a railway track at Pilupura village, around 85 kilometres from Bharatpur in Rajasthan. These men from Gujjar community, who have been braving inhuman arid weather conditions, are fighting for five percent in government jobs.

With not a single woman or girl in sight at the protest venue, when these men were asked, "For whom this quota?" the response was, "For us"; where 'us' refers to men. On asked, "Do you mind sharing this quota with women?" the protesting men fraternity got furious and said in one tone, "What would women do?"

These protesters, comprising mainly old men (dressed in white dhoti, kurta and pagari) and young boys (wearing trousers and shirts), seem to have been offended when asked about women participation in the reservation. Their youth leader Bharat Gujjar of the Gujjar Arakshan Sangharsh Samiti says, "You can't have a separate provision for women reservation. It has to be for the community."

In the era where government talks about uplifting of women, Gujjar women present a classic case of irony. Tattoed with motifs of trees, animals and their husband's names, most of these Gujjar women in 80 villages of Pilupura still don't have access to education beyond primary schooling. They are still expected to remain within the four walls of house with faces veiled.

Sankariya Gujjar, who is in her late 70s, of Raseria village says, "What will women do with the job reservation. The fight is for boys of our clan. If they get permanent income through government employment, it would help in development of our community." She adds that there might be a few cases where girls would study up to graduation. Even in such cases least their parents would allow them to is work as teachers in the local schools.

"Women still are not exposed to urban life," she says adding there is still prevalence of child marriage and practice of bride price. Sankariya adds that life has not changed much for Gujjar women in all these years. "Gujjar men still feel that only they can uplift our clan and women work is restricted to household chores. Men always have a upper hand," she says laughing and cites examples. "You would find mobile phones with all Gujjar men, while only a few women keep it."

Even during the seven-day agitation, Gujjar women from these 80 villages have been just entrusted with the work of cooking three-time meals for the protesting men. "Women from the villages as far as 20 kilometres have been supporting men by preparing food. A tractor trolley has been arranged to collect food for the agitators. Beyond that there is nothing they are supposed to do," says Sher Singh Gujjar (43) who has been protesting since day 1. He adds, "If the men get jobs, women will automatically benefit. Why do they need quota?"

The protesting Gujjars argue that no Gujjar has either made it to IAS or IPS. In fact, none of the community people which numbers around 70 lakh has been able to make it to Rajasthan Public Service Commission or vice-chancellor of a varsity or a judge in Rajasthan High Court.

The protesters say, "The Meenas –another Scheduled Tribe community – makes it to all these plum postings taking advantage of quota. Even we want to avail the same to help the community to develop."

This crowd of men, with not even a single person having educational qualification above Class XII, wants government jobs and that too with their meagre qualifications. When asked what kind of jobs they expect with such qualifications, the response was, "Master (teacher) or clerk."

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