Rajasthan OBC quota up to 26%

Yash Goyal

Our Correspondent

Jaipur, October 26

After around five hours of a one-sided debate, the Rajasthan Assembly today passed by voice vote a fresh Bill to provide 5 per cent quota to five communities, including Gurjars, in the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category by raising its limit from 21 to 26 per cent.

However, Opposition Congress MLAs continued to protest on the third day today, demanding a crop loan waiver by the Vasundhara Raje government. In a somersault, Congress legislators, who were spending day-night in the well of the House over farmers’ grievances, appeared with placards and protested against the BJP government for “killing” Gurjars during an agitation in the past. BJP ministers and MLAs exchanged heated arguments on the issue when Parliamentary Affairs Minister RS Rathore questioned the Opposition whether they were against the OBC quota Bill or dishonouring the Gurjars.

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Presenting the Bill titled “Rajasthan Backward Classes, 2017”, minister incharge Arun Chaturvedi told the House that the new legislation would provide for the reservation of seats in educational institutions in the state and of appointments and posts in services for the category of more backward classes within the OBC.

Five communities — Banjara, Gadiya Lohar, Gurjar, Raika, and Gadaria — and their six sub-castes have been covered in the 5 per cent category, defending the provisions of the Bill and replying to each of 11 MLAs who participated in the debate.

Rajasthan currently has 49 per cent reservation that includes 21 per cent for OBCs, 16 per cent for SCs and 12 per cent for STs. “The OBC Commission and experts have considered all aspects of legal decision and directions of the courts while drafting this Bill,” he said.

On August 18, the Gurjar Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti and the state government had reached an agreement in which the community leaders were assured of the Bill on their demand. “The Special Backward Classes (SBC) Act, providing 5 per cent separate quota to Gurjars et al, was struck down by the High Court in 2016 and hence it has no constitutional approval now,” Chaturvedi added.