Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot along with top officials of the finance department on Tuesday.

JAIPUR: The Rajasthan government is likely to announce additional 4% reservation for Gujjars and 10% quota for the economically weaker sections (EWS) among the upper castes in the Assembly on Wednesday. The government would also present vote-on-account on Wednesday, the last day of the first session of the 15th assembly.

Sources said since the Gujjars are already enjoying 1% MBC (most backward classes) quota, in addition to OBC, the state government will bring a bill to provide additional 4% separate quota to Gujjars and four other communities under MBC without disturbing the existing reservation.

The state cabinet, which was convened on Tuesday evening in the light of the ongoing Gujjar agitation, held detailed discussions on the community's demand.

Talking to TOI, parliamentary affairs minister Shanti Dhariwal said, "The cabinet discussed in detail about the Gujjars' demand, EWS reservation and 33% quota for women."

After attending the cabinet core committee on Gujjars' demand meeting in the morning, minister for youths and sports Ashok Chandna and former minister Jitendra Singh -- both of whom belong to the Gujjar community -- gave enough indication of a positive outcome. They said Gujjars had a reason to smile with the decision of the government to be announced in the Assembly on Wednesday. They expressed hope that it would lead to return of normalcy in the state with the Gujjars withdrawing their agitation.

Currently enjoying one per cent quota

The Gujjars and four other communities currently enjoy 1% quota under the most backward classes (MBC) category along with the 21% OBC reservation in the state. This arrangement is on after the high court in 2017 struck down the demand for a separate 5% quota under the MBC category as it crossed the 50% limit set by the Supreme Court in the landmark Indra Sawhney case.

Gujjars are now arguing that with the 10% reservation for EWS passed by the Centre and the apex court not staying the legislation, the quota limit of 50% is gone.

Dhariwal said their demand has been under consideration of the government. He said the government had held talks with them even during their peaceful agitation in 2011. The minister alleged that the Gujjars were now resorting to violence though they claimed that their struggle was peaceful. He too dropped enough hint that the government was ready to bring in a legislation to meet their demand.

