Mayawati demands inclusion of Jats in OBC category

Cong,BJP and SP have criticised her move saying that it is politically motivated.

After demanding reservation for minorities and upper caste poor,Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati on Monday wrote to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh asking him to include Jat community in OBC category.

The CM in her letter has requested him to include Jats in Other Backward Class category, an official spokesman said.

The Jat community’s main occupation is agriculture and its related work but due to deteriorating agricultural land conditions,their economic condition is not good. They are also backward in the field of education. Keeping this in mind,the state government on March 10,2000 included Jats in OBC category, the letter said.

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Stating that Centre had included Jats of Rajasthan in OBC category,Mayawati said the community in Uttar Pradesh should be given the same status.

Interestingly,Mayawati had yesterday written a letter to PM demanding introduction of quota for the poor among upper castes on financial grounds.

The chief minister had written a similar letter to the PM on September 17 asking for constitutional amendment to provide quota to minorities,especially Muslims.

Opposition parties including BJP,Congress and Samajwadi Party have criticised the BSP government and termed the move as a political one to gain political advantage for the next year’s Assembly polls.

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