The Gujjar Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti has called on the Bhajanlal Sharma-led government in Rajasthan to overhaul the reservation system within the state's Tribal Sub-Plan (TSP) areas. The central demand is to carve out sub-quotas for three specific categories from the existing 50% unreserved 'general' pool, aiming to address what it terms as inadequate representation.
The Core Demand: Sub-Quotas for OBC, MBC, and EWS
The Samiti is pushing for dedicated reservations within the TSP framework for Other Backward Classes (OBC), Most Backward Classes (MBC), and Economically Weaker Sections (EWS). Currently, in TSP regions, 45% of seats are reserved for Scheduled Tribes (ST) and 5% for Scheduled Castes (SC), leaving the remaining half open for general competition.
The group argues this current structure has failed communities like OBCs and MBCs, who, despite forming a significant part of the population in these areas, are left to compete without any protective quota. Vijay Bainsla, the head of the Samiti, stated the demand is rooted in constitutional principles and data-driven evidence.
Data and Disparity: The Argument for Change
In a post on social media platform X, Bainsla elaborated on the perceived injustice. "In TSP areas, OBC and MBC communities — who form nearly 25%–30% of the population — are forced to compete in the unreserved category without any protective quota, while the same communities are entitled to reservation outside TSP areas," he wrote.
He highlighted a stark employment gap, claiming their share in government jobs is less than 10%. This situation, he argued, leaves the core OBC and MBC groups with "almost nothing in their hands." To amplify their demand, the Samiti has also reached out to Members of Parliament representing Udaipur, Rajsamand, Chittorgarh, and Banswara, seeking their clear stance on the issue.
Opposition and Calls for Caution
While the Samiti maintains that introducing sub-reservation would align TSP zones with the state's broader reservation structure and deliver "inclusive justice," the proposal has met with resistance from tribal organizations. These groups assert that the present system upholds long-standing constitutional safeguards meant for tribal communities.
They caution that any modification to the TSP framework must only proceed after extensive consultation, empirical research, and with firm guarantees for protecting tribal rights. They warn that altering the reservation matrix without concrete evidence could dilute the original objectives of the TSP policy.
Echoing this need for deliberation, Banswara MP and founder of the Bharat Adivasi Party, Rajkumar Roat, emphasized that the subject requires elaborate discussion. He pointed to the tribal community's own demand for reservation proportional to their population, which can exceed 70% in core TSP areas.
"I think a caste-based survey, which is scheduled with the 2027 census, would show an exact picture of the share of castes and communities. Any debate or decision before that would be akin to disrupting peace and harmony," Roat stated, advocating for a data-first approach before any systemic change.
The debate sets the stage for a complex policy discussion in Rajasthan, pitting demands for broader social justice within reserved areas against the imperative to protect specific tribal interests as envisioned by the TSP.
