Hardik meets Bainsla to support Gujjar quota

Days after the Rajasthan High Court struck down Special Backward Classes quota to Gujjars and five other communities, Patidar leader Hardik Patel met Gujjar leader Kirori Singh Bainsla at Hindaun on Sunday and vowed to lend his support to the community in its fight over the issue.

"Patel met Bainsla and vowed to support the community," Akhil Bhartiya Gurjar Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti's legal advisor Shailendra Singh said. Bainsla and top leaders of the Samiti will be here for the next couple of days to know the Rajasthan government's stand over the issue of five per cent reservation to Gujjars and other communities under Special Backward Classes (SBC).

The court had on Friday held that the special reservation beyond the permissible limit of 50 per cent cannot be made and the report of the OBC Commission of the state was calculated one to favour these communities while the court on December 22, 2012 had asked for review of the entire reservation granted and not only a quantifiable report.

"We have already given ultimatum to the state government to resolve the matter," Singh said. Following the setback in the high court, sporadic protests have been reported in state capital and its neighbouring district Tonk.

On November 28, 2012, the Rajasthan Cabinet had decided to provide a separate five per cent quota to the SBCs without touching the 21 per cent reservation available to Other Backward Classes and taking the overall reservation in jobs and education to 54 per cent.