'Don't delete Gujjars from OBC till benefit under new class'

Jaipur, Jul 10 (UNI) AICC General Secretary and former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot today urged the Rajasthan government to ensure that Gujjars continued to get reservation under OBC category till proper implementation of proposed reservation to them under special Most Back Class category.

Talking to reporters here, Mr Gehlot said the Gujjar caste should not be deleted from the OBCs' list till successful conclusion of the process being initiated by the state government for implemention of reservation benefits to the community under new category.

He said there was also a general feeling that the proposed five per cent new reservation to the Gujjars and three other castes under Most Backward Class and 14 per cent reservation to poor strata in unreserved higher castes could be stayed by the court.

The Congress leader alleged that mishandling of the Gujjar reservation issue by Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje and said in her bid to draw political mileage, the Chief Minister had indulged in castiest politics.

He said Ms Raje's approach had led to death of 65 Gujjar protesters and they would not foregive her and her party for this cruel tactics.

Charging the Raje government with failure in maintaining law and order, the former Chief Minister said in four-and-a-half-year regime of Ms Raje, the incidents like bank robberies, killings and/or atrocities on Dalits had taken place in the state which clearly reflected her government's failure.

He also dubbed the launching of Rs 750 crore Bhamashah Financial Empowerment and Nari Samridhi Scheme as "political gimmick ahead of Assembly election" and said the scheme targeted to mislead women voters.

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