Jaipur: A controversy erupted today over the passage of two bills by Rajasthan Assembly that will push the quota percentage in the state to 68 per cent, much beyond the cap of 50 per cent, with Congress terming it as a "farcical attempt" even as the state government found nothing wrong.
The Assembly yesterday passed separate bills providing five per cent reservation to Gujjars and other communities under Special Backward Classes (SBC) and for 14 per cent quota to Economically Backward Classes (EBC) of unreserved categories.
With this, the reservation percentage will go up to 68 per cent whereas the Supreme Court has put a 50 per cent cap on quota.
Criticising this development, Congress leader Sachin Pilot said it was a "tragedy" that despite knowing very well that there is no provision in the Constitution for economically backward people to get reservation, the BJP government has made a "farcical attempt".
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He said under the Constitution there is provision for reservation only for socially, educationally backward people. Viewing the development as an "eyewash", Pilot questioned how reservation could be provided on the basis of economic condition when there is no provision for it.
"We in the Congress party have supported reservation as it stands today in the Constitution, plus anybody who deserves to be given help and support should be given," he said.
The state's Parliamentary Affairs Minister R S Rathore has said there was nothing wrong in the limit being crossed and sought to justify it by citing the examples of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha.
"Of course the quota limit has been crossed, but other states like Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Odisha had done it earlier," he said.
