VADODARA: Amid the ongoing agitation by patidars for quota, an organization of brahmans in Gujarat has demanded reservation for community members in government jobs and educational institutes in the state.

All Gujarat Brahm Samaj (AGBS) also wants the government to pay monthly salary to brahman priests serving in temples across the state.

The organization's officer-bearers held a day-long meeting here on Friday and passed a number of resolutions in support of their various demands, including reservation and salary for brahman priests, its president Shailesh Joshi said.

Briefing reporters at the end of meeting, Joshi said, "The BJP government in Gujarat should follow the example of the Tamil Nadu government and give monthly salary to all the temple priests in the state."

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He said the government should set up a Brahman Vikas Board to look after 55 lakh economically weaker brahmans, whose population in Gujarat he put at 62 lakh.

Joshi said AGBS wants the state to grant reservations solely on the basis of economic criterion.

"We want the government to change this (current) system of reservation and introduce a system which is based on economic condition, not on castes. We believe anyone who is financially weak should get reservation, including brahmans. Our children are not getting good education or jobs because of the current reservation system," said Joshi.

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Pradip Jani, convener of the AGBS, announced formation of local level committees for launching a statewide agitation based on Gandhian principles in support of their demands.

The demand for reservation from the upper caste community members comes at a time when Gujarat is already witnessing an agitation by patidars (Patels) for quota in jobs and education.

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