Trouble seems brewing in Narendra Modi’s home state of Gujarat as the Hardik Patel-led Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti rejected the state government’s move to give 10 per cent reservations for economica
Trouble seems brewing in Narendra Modi’s home state of Gujarat as the Hardik Patel-led Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti rejected the state government’s move to give 10 per cent reservations for economically backward among upper castes, those with annual family incomes up to Rs 6 lakhs. This was decided at the state BJP unit’s core group meeting, that was also attended by BJP president Amit Shah. It set a family income cap of Rs 6 lakhs a year to avail this benefit for education and jobs.
The Hardik Patel outfit rejected this as another “lollipop” by the BJP and the state government to “mislead” the Patel community. “We do not accept this reservation for EBCs. Our main demand is to release Hardik Patel from jail,” PAAS spokesperson Dharmik Malaviya said.
The move may also face legal hurdles as it breaches the 50 per cent cap on reservations set by the Supreme Court. Given its political significance, the announcement was made by state BJP chief Vijay Rupani, flanked by chief minister Anandiben Patel.
“Our core group meeting, headed by BJP president Amit Shah, has decided to give 10 per cent reservation for economically backward among the general category,” said Mr Rupani.
“A notification will be issued on the Gujarat state formation day on May 1, and EBCs among general category will be able to take the benefit of the reservation in education and jobs from the next academic year,” said Gujarat BJP chief Vijay Rupani.
“Families having an annual income of Rs 6 lakhs or below will be eligible to avail the reservations,” he said. The reservation announced by the government will be over and above the cap of 50 per cent reservation set by the Supreme Court, and may face legal hurdles.
Asked if the move will stand legal scrutiny, Mr Rupani said: “We are very serious about this and we will fight it up to the apex court for reservation of economically backward among the general category. We have not touched the quota given to SC, STs and OBCs. Their quota is intact.”
Asked if the reservation has blessings of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said: “The decision was taken in a core group meeting in which party president Amit Shah was present. So it has got green signal from everybody in the national party.”
“This 10 percent reservation for EBCs is nothing but a lollipop by government to misguide the Patel community. Hardik and PAAS never asked for it. We always wanted reservation under OBC quota or like the reservation granted to Jats by the Haryana government,” another PAAS spokesperson Brijesh Patel said.
The BJP had suffered heavy losses in the rural local bodies polls recently, which were blamed on the Patel quota stir.
Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Shankarsinh Vaghela said the announcement of 10 per cent reservation to EBCs was deceptive and it was like a “lollipop” to the Patel community. He demanded an hike in reservations for EBCs from 10 per cent to 20 per cent and said that the income cap should also be increased from Rs 6 lakhs to Rs 12 lakhs.
