Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel. Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel.

The Gujarat government Saturday announced its decision to give minority status to the Jain community. The announcement was made by Vijay Rupani, state minister for transport, water supply, labour and employment. Rupani, chief of the Gujarat BJP unit, also belongs to the Jain community.

Rupani welcomed the move, saying that the government had taken a positive decision on the long-pending demand.

When contacted by The Sunday Express, Rupani said the minority status of Jains would not be influenced by the current arrangement of reservation. He said the decision was taken by Chief Minister Anandiben Patel in Gandhinagar on Saturday. “Orders on the decision have already been issued today. She took the decision. I have only made the announcement,” he said.

Rupani was quoted in a BJP press release as saying, “With today’s decision, poor Jain children will get scholarship and study-related benefits. Jain institutions will get benefits under various schemes by virtue of being minority bodies.”

He said that the Jain community youth would also get assistance under self-employment schemes of the government. They will also become eligible for assistance under various state and central government schemes, Rupani said.

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