Ahmedabad: The Gujarat Congress today said the BJP government’s announcement of 10 per cent reservation for Economically Backward Classes (EBCs) was “insufficient” and demanded that it should be made 20 per cent. According to Gujarat Congress President Bharatsinh Solanki, the announcement has been made in a haste to gain political advantage. “Ten per cent reservation is incomplete and insufficient. This announcement has been made only to gain political advantage. This announcement is like a lollipop. We demand that government should give 20 per cent reservation as just 10 per cent will not serve any purpose,” he said at a press conference here.
He alleged that government took this decision in haste without taking into consideration the views of various stakeholders such as the agitating communities as well as political parties. “It was Congress who first raised the demand for 20 per cent reservation to EBCs. BJP government made this announcement without taking into consideration the views of various stakeholders. Government should have kept everyone in loop before taking such decision,” said Solanki.
Senior Congress leader Sidharth Patel said the party will take up this issue in a big way ahead of the 2017 Assembly polls in Gujarat. “After the Patel quota agitation, Congress has openly demanded 20 per cent reservation for EBCs. However, government today announced to give only 10 per cent, which is not sufficient. Congress will take up this issue in a big way to mount pressure on government to raise the limit,” he said. Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition in Gujarat Assembly Shankersinh Vaghela too slammed the 10 per cent reservation. “In the last Assembly session, Congress brought a private member Bill proposing 20 per cent reservation for EBCs. However, this government made sure that it did not come for discussion. Now, reeling under pressure, they have announced to give 10 per cent reservation.
“We want that the income cap should be raised from Rs 6 lakh to Rs 12 lakh, while the quota for reservation should be raised from 10 per cent to 20 per cent,” a statement quoted him as saying.
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