Fearing fate like Maratha reservation, Gurjars in Rajasthan threaten to gherao Delhi

Rajasthan government had sent a letter to the Union Government for the inclusion of MBC reservation for Gurjar and five other castes to be included in the ninth schedule, immune from judicial review.

Key Highlights

• Gurjar leader Kirori Singh Bainsala has threatened a gherao of Delhi if MBC reservation is not included in ninth schedule of Constitution in one month's time by Centre.

• Gurjars fear that their reservation may also be stuck down by Supreme Court a la Maratha reservation.

• A three judge bench of SC had stayed the implementation of 2018 Maratha Reservation Act.

Jaipur: Gurjars in Rajasthan may again be at loggerheads with both Centre and state very soon. Gurjar leader Kirori Singh Bainsala had issued an ultimatum to the Union Government to include the MBC reservation bill passed by Rajasthan Assembly in the ninth schedule of the Constitution which will make it immune from any possible judicial review. The move has come after a three-judge bench of Supreme Court had stayed the implementation of Maratha reservation in Maharashtra.

“Rajasthan government had sent a letter to the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment on February 22, 2020, this year recommending that MBC reservation should be included in the ninth schedule of the Constitution. We request the Union Government to entertain the request in one month's time otherwise we would not have any option but to march on Delhi to save our reservation,” Kirori Singh Bainsala said.

Gurjars in Rajasthan fear a fate like Maratha reservation. “We do not want to get stuck into the legal quagmire after so much of sweat and blood community has given for getting 5 per cent reservation as MBC. It is the duty of both state and Centre to implement what has already been agreed,” Vijay Bainsala, son of Col Kirori Singh Bainsala and member of Gurjar Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti, said.

Meanwhile, Gurjars are also accusing Ashok Gehlot government of not implementing the reservation under MBC in letter and spirit. “Many of the ongoing recruitment where MBC reservation should have been changed from one per cent to five per cent is not done yet. This is a fraud on unsuspecting people which we are not going to tolerate,” Vijay Bainsala said.

Sachin Pilot, the former deputy Chief Minister of Rajasthan, has also shot off a letter to CM Gehlot to ensure that MBC reservation benefits are given as they were promised.