Gujarat announces 10% quota for economically backward in gen category
Due to the Patel quota agitation, the BJP government in Gujarat on 29th April 2016 announced a 10 percent reservation.
• This reservation is for the economically backward among upper castes, which include Patidars, with a family income cap of Rs 6 lakh a year to avail the benefit.
• Reservation is a form of quota-based affirmative action.
• Reservation is governed by constitutional laws, statutory laws, and local rules and regulations.
• Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST) and Other Backward Classes (OBC), and in some states Backward Classes among Muslims under a category called BC(M), are the primary beneficiaries of the reservation policies under the Constitution.
• Starting of July 2015, the people of India's Patidar community, seeking Other Backward Class (OBC) status, held public demonstrations across the Indian state of Gujarat.
• The largest demonstration was held in Ahmedabad on 25 August and was attended by thousands.
• Later, there were incidents of violence and arson across the state resulting in curfew in several cities and towns.