JAIPUR/UDAIPUR: Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot announced on Wednesday that the state would raise OBC reservation from 21% to 27%, with the additional 6% being for the benefit of the most backward sections within the category. The change, if and when it takes effect, will raise overall reservation in Rajasthan from 64% to 70%.

Gehlot made the announcement while addressing the gathering at Rahul Gandhi’s rally in Mangarh Dham near Banswara. He later tweeted about the proposal in detail. Taking the cue from Rahul, the CM said, “You (Rahul) said just now that there should be a caste-based census in the country. It is a message to the nation. We would want such a census to be done in Rajasthan as well. People will get their rights based on caste (population)”.
Gehlot tweeted that the state OBC commission would carry out a survey to identify the most backward groups within OBC. “This will provide the most backward castes t more opportunities for education and service in the government sector.”

The CM mentioned that various organisations of SC/ST had been continuously demanding reservation on the basis of population.
“The government is getting this demand also examined,” he said, adding that for the 10% quota given to the EWS category, the Rajasthan government had removed the condition of immovable property.
Former deputy CM Sachin Pilot, who was also at the rally, spoke of Congress aiming to replicate Karnataka at the Centre in 2024. “We successfully caused the double engine of BJP in Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh to fail. The time has come to disable the main engine of BJP in New Delhi.”