Amid Gujjar quota stir, Rajasthan govt introduces 5% quota bill for protesting community and 4 other castes

Jaipur: The Rajasthan government on Wednesday introduced a bill in the Assembly to give a five percent quota in jobs and educational institutes to Gujjars and four other communities agitating for it. The government introduced the Rajasthan Backward Classes (Reservation of Seats in Educational Institutes in the State and of Appointments and Posts in Services under the State) Amendment Bill, 2019, for giving reservation to Gujjars and the other castes. [caption id=“attachment_6078961” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Members of the Gujjar community have been holding demonstrations since 8 February across Rajasthan for quota. Image courtesy: 101Reporters[/caption] The bill was presented in the Rajasthan Assembly by Energy Minister BD Kalla to pacify members of the Gujjar community who have been holding demonstrations since 8 February across the state for quota. They blocked the Delhi-Mumbai railway track and several highways and roads. The bill seeks to increase the backward classes’ reservation from the present 21 percent to 26 percent with five percent reservation to Gujjars, Banjaras, Gadia Lohars, Raikas and Gadaria The statement on the objective and reasons of the bill stated that the five castes are most backward and require five percent separate reservation. It also mentions that the central government recently passed the constitution amendment bill and the limit of 50 percent reservation was increased. Gujjar leaders said they want a concrete proposal on the matter. Gujjar leader Kirori Singh Bainsla and his supporters blocked the railway track in Sawai Madhopur district on 8 Febuary.