Rajasthan govt approves 1% reservation to Gujjars, four other MBC communities

Jaipur, July 2: The Vasundhara Raje-led BJP government in Rajasthan on Monday approved one percent reservation for 'Gujjars' and four other backward castes.

The government's move comes after Gujjar leaders threatened to stage a protest during PM Narendra Modi's visit to Jaipur on July 7.

The five castes under the most backward class (MBC) are (1) Banjara/Baldia/Labana, (2) Gadia-Lohar/Gadalia, (3) Gujjar/Gurjar, (4) Raika/Rebari and (5) Gadaria (Gaadri), who were initially enlisted in the OBC since 1994.

The main demand of the Gujjars is 5% reservation within the OBC quota to not violate the 50% limit prescribed by the Supreme Court. While that could not be provided, the government had in December 2017 approved 1% reservation for Gujjars and four other backward castes.

The candidates (of these five castes of MBC), if not selected on the basis of merit in the general category, will be considered first under the OBC (21 per cent) and then under the MBC (1 per cent) in admissions and recruitments, according to the two orders which are separate for admissions and recruitment.

The state government had issued the notification for giving one per cent reservation under the MBC on December 21, 2017, but the communities were not getting proper advantages.

On Sunday, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Rajendra Rathore had assured the Gujjar leaders in a meeting that the orders would be issued at the earliest after the community leaders threatened to stage a protest during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Jaipur visit on July 7.