Rajasthan Assembly passes Gujjar Reservation Bill

Jaipur: The ruling Congress government at Rajasthan passed the Gujjar Reservation Bill at Rajasthan Assembly on Wednesday. The community has been protesting since last week which had led to a snag in road and rail services.

Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot said that their next step shall be to approach the Central government for an amendment in the Constitution which would make its implementation possible.

Rajasthan has already touched the 50 per cent upper limit on reservation placed by the Supreme Court.

Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra have crossed fifty per cent quota. Also, parliament has just given 10 per cent quota to the Economically Backward Classes and hence officially the centre has also crossed the fifty per cent ceiling for reservations, Mr Pilot pointed out.

“So we will pass this bill and send it to the Centre, so they can pass it with a Constitutional amendment like they have done in the 10 per cent quota case,” Pilot told the state assembly. “We will go meet (BJP chief) Amit Shah when he comes to Jaipur, to ask him to have this passed in the centre via a constitutional amendment”.

Pilot criticised the previous government led by former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje for not passing the bill for this significant reservation and in turn proving to be a hurdle for societal upliftment. Raje had promised scheduled tribe status to Gujjars in her election meetings. Later, after much deliberation, five nomadic tribes were given 5 per cent reservation.

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