By IANS
Jaipur : Business worth at least Rs.3 billion was affected here Wednesday on account of a strike called by a Brahmin body, which is demanding reservation on economic grounds.
The Swarn Brahmin Mahasabha (SBM) gave the call demanding reservation benefits on economic grounds. They also protested the baton charge by policemen on their activists during a rally on Aug 19.
The Rajput Karni Sena, a body of the Rajput community, also supported the strike call.
Almost all shops and educational institutions remained closed and only a few buses were seen on the roads.
“The shut down was our way of protest against the police baton charge on our rally on Aug 19 in which our brothers and sisters were injured,” Mahasabha chief Suresh Mishra said.
“Our strike was fully successful,” he said.
“The Vasundhara Raje government should accept our demand on reservations, which is fully justified, otherwise we would be forced to launch our agitation in a big way,” Mishra added.
Except for stray incidents, the strike was peaceful, a police official said.
Business of over Rs.3 billion is estimated to have been affected due to the shut down, the Federation of Rajasthan Trade and Industry here said.
Brahmin bodies demanding reservation on economic grounds had organised a protest rally on Aug 19. When they tried to enter the Civil Lines area, where ministers stay, in a bid to stop them from entering the area the police resorted to a baton charge in which at least 10 people were injured.