Will support Gujjar stir for quota in Rajasthan: Hardik Patel

Patidar quota agitation leader Hardik Patel on Friday said that he will extend his support to the stir by members of the Gujjar community in Rajasthan from May 15 to press for their demand of five per cent reservation from within the OBC quota.

After offering chadar at Ajmer Sharif Dargah, he told reporters, "I will support the Gujjar agitation in a non-violent manner and will be ready to fight for the rights of any community."

Patel said that he had held talks with Gujjar leaders in Rajasthan and promised them his support. Earlier, he had offered prayers at Brahma Temple in Pushkar.

Spokesperson of Gujjar Sangharsh Samiti, Himmat Singh, had last week said that Gujjars are getting one per cent reservation under Most Backward Classes (MBC) and the demand is for bifurcation of OBC quota to provide five per cent reservation to Gujjars and other communities.

The Rajasthan Assembly had in October last year passed a bill to raise OBC reservation from 21 to 26 per cent to provide five per cent quota to the Gujjars and other castes.

However, the high court stayed the bill as it would have increased the reservation to 54 per cent.

Later, the Supreme Court also directed the state government not to exceed the 50 per cent reservation limit.

PTI