Groups belonging to the Meena community, opposing the demand of Gurjars for Scheduled Tribe status, on Thursday threatened to use force to lift the highway blockades placed by the agitating Gurjars.
These groups, which gathered at Meen temple and several areas dominated by their community, said that it was high time that the blockades set up by the Gurjars since Tuesday as part of their 'chakka jam' agitation were removed.
"If these are not lifted we will do it by using force," several local-level leaders of Meenas, who belong to the ST category and have substantial representation in the government as well as political parties, told a gathering at the temple area.
Several members of these groups were armed with lathis and some even carried sharp-edged weapons and guns.
A PTI correspondent who visited the famous Mehendipur Balaji temple found that the pilgrims have been hit hard due to the ongoing Gurjar agitation with many of the elderly members running out of their stock of medicines.
The only redeeming factor for the pilgrims was that they were being served two meals a day by the temple trust. But the main question being posed by them was as to when the agitation would end and they would be able to return home.