Rajasthan Assembly passes bill giving five percent reservation to Gujjars in jobs and educational institutes

The Rajasthan Assembly on Wednesday passed the Rajasthan Backward Classes Amendment Bill, 2019, which gives five percent reservation in jobs and educational institutes to Gujjars and four other communities that have been  agitating for it .

The government had 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 earlier on Wednesday.

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 Friday 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 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 had blocked the railway track in Sawai Madhopur district on Friday.

With inputs from PTI