Centre had announced 10% quota for economically weaker sections in general category. (Representational)
The Gujarat government said today that the 10% reservation announced by the Centre for the economically weaker sections in the general category will not cover those who settled in the state after 1978.
The Gujarat government became the first state in the country to implement 10 per cent reservation in state government jobs and education. To qualify for the newly-introduced 10 per cent reservation in general category, the state government announced on Wednesday that the family of the quota beneficiary should have been residing in the state since 1978.
Maheshsingh Kushwah, president of Uttar Bharatiya Vikas Parishad, said it is an "injustice" to exclude those who have been living in Gujarat since four decades. "Forty one years is a very long period. Many who came before 1978 might have already died. This is injustice to us. What about those who came here and settled permanently 20, 30 or even 40 years back? Why they have they not been included? This criterion should be 10 years," he said.
"We will discuss this issue among ourselves and make a representation to the state government seeking relaxation in this new rule," he added.
Gujarat Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi said there was no need to introduce this criterion as the domicile rule is already in place. A person qualifies to be a domicile of the state if he is either born here or has been living for over 10 years.
"There was no need to change the original quota law passed by the Centre. Perhaps, this is a tactic by the state government to deprive the beneficiaries. Since the domicile rule is already in place, there was no need to introduce this new rule, which asks for over 40 years of residency," he said