Even though Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) leader Hardik Patel said he would study the 10% Economically Backward Class (EBC) reservation decision of the state government, two PAAS conveners after a meeting declared that the community was not satisfied with EBC reservations and wants OBC status only.
Dharmik Malaviya and Manoj Panara said that the government might have announced 10% EBC quota, but Patidars were not satisfied and want OBC status only. “The government can increase the quota of OBCs on lines of Tamil Nadu and give Patels OBC status,” the duo said.
Patidars want the government to carry out a survey to include the community on the OBC list. “We are in touch with Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, West Bengal's Mamta Banerjee and even Anna Hazare. Hazare has agreed to come to Gujarat and will address a rally in Ghatlodia or Ranip on October 2,” said Malaviya. “We will continue the agitation and Patidars have chalked out a detailed programme for the next six months. The Patidar community will stage a `Patel Gaurav Yatra' which will begin at Khodaldham on May 25 and end at Umiya Dham Unjha on June 26. To continue the stir, more than 400,000 Patidars will also gather at Karamsad as a part of the Sardar Ekta Yatra.”
Patidars will observe “Patidar Kranti Day” in Morbi on August 25 and “martyr's day” the next day. Hardik, at the rally in Ahmedabad, had announced that August 25 would be observed as Patidar Kranti Day.
Akhilesh Katiyar, a PAAS national activist said: “Patidars do not want any EBC status, we only want OBC status. The government may give as many per cent EBC quota as it wants, we want to be included on the OBC list or in a special category for Patidars. If Tamil Nadu can have more than 50% reservations, why can't Gujarat? Also there are apex court judgments which say that in special cases, reservation can be extended beyond 50%.”
OBC Ekta Manch to conduct enrolment drive
Meanwhile, the OBC Ekta Manch has decided to carry out an enrolment drive and a survey on the behaviour of elected representatives. Leaders of the OBC Ekta Manch have said that the enrolment drive is aimed at uniting community members who have been ignored by the government and the opposition parties.
