Congress MP Pushes for Split in OBC Quota for Fair Representation

Congress MP Geniben Thakor has demanded a split in the existing 27% OBC reservation quota in Gujarat. She argues that only a few castes benefit significantly, while 'extremely backward castes' receive negligible benefits. Thakor proposes a 7% quota for benefiting castes and a 20% quota for extremely backward ones.

Congress MP Geniben Thakor has raised a call to action for the division of the 27% reservation quota for Other Backward Classes (OBC) in Gujarat to ensure fair representation.

In a letter addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Thakor urged that the current system is skewed, benefiting only five to ten castes out of the 146 recognized backward castes, while many 'extremely backward castes' barely receive any benefits.

To address this disparity, Thakor has proposed dividing the quota into a 7% allocation for the castes that currently reap substantial benefits, and a separate 20% allocation for the extremely backward castes. Other states like Bihar, Odisha, Haryana, and West Bengal have already implemented similar measures, Thakor noted.

(With inputs from agencies.)