Rajasthan Government grants five percent quota to Gujjars in Special category

A committee comprising the representatives of the Rajasthan government and Gujjar community on Wednesday agreed upon allocating five per cent reservation to the Gujjar, Banjara and Rabari communities collectively under special category.

Jaipur, June 18 : A committee comprising the representatives of the Rajasthan government and Gujjar community on Wednesday agreed upon allocating five per cent reservation to the Gujjar, Banjara and Rabari communities collectively under special category.

The Rajasthan government also announced 14 per cent reservation to Baniya, Brahamana, Kayasta and Rajput under economically backward class among the upper caste categories.

The Gujjar representatives during the meeting in Jaipur opposed Vasundhara Raje's decision to give reservation to upper caste categories but later gave up their objection when Raje said the allocation of 14 per cent was decided to prevent further agitation from the other castes.

Gujjar leader Kirori Singh Bainsla said, "This historic decision is the beginning of a new chapter in Rajasthan which became possible because of Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje.

He also apologised for the inconvenience caused by the Gujjar agitation to the people.

He promised Gujjar's contribution for the development of the State.

Raje said, "Problems can be solved with discussions and I am satisfied that our discussion concluded on positive note and it has ended the agitation. I am sure that our State will move towards development. The entire State is my family we have to run this State together."

She further added that reservation would not affect the existing reservation for the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes category.

Bainsla promised that the agitation would be ended after reaching Pilupura.

Forty nine per cent reservation has already been allocated to the Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe and Other Backward Classes in Rajasthan.

With the decision of 19 per cent reservation (five per cent to Gujjars and 14 per cent to economically backwards) of the Rajasthan government, the State has 68 per cent quota allocation.

The details of the allocation of the quota will be divulged in a committee meeting on Thursday.

ANI