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Quota issue settled for good: BJP

Photo: Anu Pushkarna

Thanksgiving: Gujjars led by Rustam Singh, Minister for Panchayati Raj in Madhya Pradesh, calling on BJP president Rajnath Singh in New Delhi on Friday.

JAIPUR: The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party here claims to have settled the reservation issue to everybody’s satisfaction in Rajasthan. With the recent announcement of five per cent special quota for Gujjars and another 14 per cent for to EBCs (economically backward classes or the poor among the forward castes) the quota issue is settled for good, the party maintains.

“Rajasthan does not have any reservation issue left. If anyone agitates over reservation now that is going to be totally for political reasons,” said Ramdas Agarwal, BJP national treasurer and chief interlocutor from the Government side at the recent talks with the Gujjars.

“I feel contented with the agreement we could reach with the Gujjar community. The State Government has been getting all-round appreciation ever since the announcement on new quotas [was made],” said Mr. Agarwal.

Mr. Agarwal said unlike the previous Congress Government in the State which just wrote a letter recommending a quota for EBCs and did nothing thereafter, the BJP Government now would be convening a special three-day session of the Rajasthan Assembly from July 7 to enact laws supporting the new provisions. At present Rajasthan has 49 per cent reservation for the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Communities while the new quota announcements would take it to a total of 68 per cent.

Mr. Agarwal expressed confidence that the BJP would come back to power in the next elections in the State. Asked whether the party expected Gujjars to vote for the BJP even after the police had gunned down 39 of their people during the agitation from May 23 to June 19, Mr. Agarwal said the community was happy about the deal they got.

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