Gujjars give ultimatum to government

JAIPUR: The Gujjar Arakshan Sangarsh Samiti on Monday gave a 25-day ultimatum to the government to provide them with 5% reservation by bifurcating the 21% Other Backward Class (OBC) quota or face another agitation. The decision was taken at ‘mahapanchayat’ of the samiti held at Devnayan Mandir at Chauth ka Barwara in Sawai Madhopur. They decided that the next phase of their reservation agitation will be launched from Malarna Doongar in the same district.
The samiti virtually filing a charge-sheet against the Raje government said BJP in the Suraj Sankalp Yatra had assured Gujjars and the four other castes 5% reservation under the constitutional provisions. But the government gave 5% reservation outside the 50 % which was struck down by the high court and the Supreme Court.

Himmat Singh, spokesman of the samiti said, “Gujjars’ demand now is 5% reservation under the 50% reservation cap fixed by the Supreme Court which is possible only by bifurcating the OBC quota.” They also alleged that the BJP government in the last four years had given representations to various communities in the various boards and corporations but Gujjars and other four castes were denied representation by not constituting a single Devnarayan Board.

They said despite allocating Rs 500 crore for the Devnaryan Board the govt could spend only Rs 167 crore in the absence of boards, they alleged. They alleged that the Supreme Court while staying the Special Backward Category (SBC) quota had allowed the recruitment of 1252 candidates of the SBC already selected but the government gave them posting in the dark zones. Though the matter was brought to the notice of the ministerial committee several times no action was taken, it was alleged.

The state government took over a year to extend 1% additional reservation to the section affected by the order of the high court quashing the SBC quota in December 2016. They claimed that the set back the BJP received at bypolls is the result of the anger of the Gujjars and other communities. They said the recently announced 1% additional reservation to Gujjars and other four castes under the More Backward Classes reservation (MBS) has remained only on paper as this additional reservation has not made applicable in the ongoing recruitment of RAS, second grade teachers, patwari and gram sewaks.

In effect the five castes had neither received 5% reservation under SBC nor the 1% additional reservation from 2011-2015.