Gujarat's Patels to go on statewide stir seeking OBC status

Leaders of the Patel community on Sunday announced that they will organise public rallies in major districts of Gujarat to demand Other Backward Class (OBC) status and benefits of reservation under it in government jobs.

"We will not cancel our rally in Vijapur (in Mehsana district) and it will be held on July 28 where at least 50,000 Patels will participate. On the same day another rally will be held in Mandal taluka of Ahmedabad district," Hardik Patel, member of the Patidar Anamat Samiti told reporters here.

Giving an ultimatum to Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel, he said, "The Patel community remained deprived of its rights since four decades and neither the BJP nor the Congress improved our condition".

"Despite our representations to mamlatdars of various talukas, they (government) did not consider our demands," Patel said.

"We are giving an ultimatum to fulfil our demands before the 2017 assembly elections. Otherwise they will make a promise to fulfil it and then put our demand on the backburner after the election," Patel said.

"In other states including Uttar Pradesh, Patels get reservation as OBCs. If the Chief Minister will not listen to us, then we will say that even she failed to satisfy our demands," Patel said.

"Massive public rallies will be organised in places like Viramgam on July 29, in Gondal on July 30, in Himmatnagar on August 3, in Gandhinagar on August 3, in Rajkot on August 5 in Vadodara on August 13 and in Surat on August 18," Patel said.