Quota issue: Gurjars call off proposed stir after meeting with Rajasthan ministers

Rajasthan's Gurjar leader Kirori Singh Bainsla tonight announced to withdraw the agitation call on reservation issue after assurance from the state government to look into the demands of the community.

A delegation of Gurjars led by Bainsla held a meeting with a group of Rajasthan ministers which ended on a positive note.

Both the sides reached a consensus and signed a 16-point agreement at the secretariat here and announced to postpone the agitation at a joint press conference.

Rajasthan's Parliamentary Affairs Minister Rajendra Rathore said the government has agreedto the 16 points of the community and assured a time-bound implementation of the agreement.

Besides Rathore, Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Arun Chaturvedi and General Administration Department (GAD) Minister Hem Singh Bhadana were present in the meeting.

Bainsla said he was satisfied with the government's assurance therefore he is withdrawing the agitation call. The agitation was proposed to begin on May 23.

The Gurjars' main demand is of bifurcation of the OBC reservation for getting five per cent reservation to Gurjars and other communities under the category of most backward classes.

On the issue of reservation, Rathore said the state government will take an appropriate decision after the report of the Rohini Commission, set up by the Centre to examine the sub-categorisation of OBC.

He said the commission has invited Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Uttar Pradesh on June 4 and after its report to the Centre on the most backward classes and the Centre's decision, the state government will take necessary step to address the issue.

He said that additional chief secretary, social justice and empowerment department, J C Mohanty, will be the nodal officer and ensure the execution of the agreement which was signed tonight between the Gurjar delegation and the group of ministers.

The group of ministers and Bainsla will hold a meeting every fortnight to review the progress in the implementation of the agreement, he said.

Their other demands pertains to the execution and budget of Devnarayan Yojna, Devnarayan Gurukul Yojna, among others.

Five castes - Gurjar or Gujjar, Banjara or Baldia or Labana, Gadia-Lohar or Gadalia, Raika or Rebari and Gadaria (Gaadri) - are presently getting a separate one per cent reservation under the MBC category. They want five per cent reservation under the MBC category after bifurcation of the OBC quota.

They are getting one per cent reservation within the legal limit of 50 per cent.

The Rajasthan Assembly had in October last year passed a bill to raise OBC reservation from 21 to 26 per cent to create MBC category within it to provide five per cent quota tothe five castes.

However, the high court had 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.