<div>The stage is set, and the spotlight is now on the leaders who seem geared up for the battle. The fight appears to be between the political novices, 22-year-old Hardik Patel and 39-year-old Alpesh Thakor, and the veterans represented by Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel, her mentor Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the old wily fox Shankarsinh Vaghela and Bharatsinh Solanki, both of the Opposition Congress. <br /><br />There may be other players but for now, they appear to be behind the curtain. Hardik stirred the hornet’s nest by galvanizing over six million Patels in the last two months to hit the streets and seek OBC status for the community. Thakor on the other hand, is trying hard to emerge as a leader among the OBCs who are opposed to Patels’ demands. The established players like Anandiben and Modi seem to be walking the tightrope. <br /><br />Sidelined Patel leaders like Gordhan Jhadaphia, home minister during the infamous Godhra riots of 2002, has raised his voice against his own government’s inaction against police atrocities. <br /><br />“This is a complex scenario and difficult to fathom what is going on,” says Sudarshan Iyengar, a Gandhian and former vice-chancellor of Gujarat Vidhyapeeth. But one thing is for sure. The state appeared to be at a loss since the unfolding of events from August 25 when the Patels held their “Maha Kranti Rally” in Ahmedabad with over a million participants. <br /><br />The government also appeared to have little control over the police, which ran riot entering homes, destroying property and beating unarmed women and children mercilessly. The chief minister appeared helpless. In a television address, she pleaded with the police to work with the people. <br /><br />The Gujarat government curbed mobile internet services and social media sites from August 26 as the entire Patel movement was led by effective use of these platforms. <br /><br />“For five days, there was no mobile internet. What sort of democracy is this? No other govt has ever taken such a step?” asks Chetan Rawal, a Congress leader. The government perhaps sees a ray of hope as the movement appears to be heading for a split between Hardik-led Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) and Sardar Patel Group (SPG) of his former guru Lalji Patel. <br /><br />“We are all together. It is just people who keep talking. We are going to sit on indefinite fast together,” said Hardik, as Lalji said that this movement is above individuals. “Henceforth, we will have programmes under the aegis of SPG,” said Lalji.<br /><br />Hardik’s colleague in PAAS, Chetan Patel, said: “We have support of 192 Patel organisations and SPG is one of them.” But it was PAAS which organised the “Maha Kranti Rally”.<br />Monday lost, Lalji sought a CBI probe into the police atrocities and stated that the SPG may take out a yatra with the ashes of 32-year-old Shwetang, who died in police custody. Hardik expressed complete ignorance on this development.<br /><br />Flip-flop<br />Hardik also seems to be doing a flip-flop now and then, a sign of raw political naivety or to confuse opponents. On August 25, his supporters initially did not allow Lalji on stage but relented later. Hardik then said that he would sit on an indefinite fast till the chief minister personally receives the memorandum. But when a rally led by Lalji marched towards the collector’s office, Hardik joined it.<br /><br />Meanwhile, Thakor, the man who gathered around 1,00,000 people from 146 OBC castes, said they will also oppose any demand by Patels to be included in the OBC list. “Patels don’t need it. They are affluent. Twelve per cent population have 44 per cent government jobs compared to 54 per cent OBCs who have a mere 15 per cent government jobs.<br /><br /> Their children have all the resources to go and study even in the US and self-finance colleges run by Patels. Our children are poor and study in pathetic government schools. There is no competition here,” said Thakor.<br /><br />He feels that the entire movement is geared up towards removing reservation. “They think we are low and they are high in social hierarchy. We have been oppressed over centuries and just 50-60 years of affirmative action cannot wash away years of neglect. Moreover, OBCs have got reservation only 23 years ago, which is just one generation,” he added.<br /><br />Thakor now plans to unite OBCs and press for expansion of reservations to the private sector. “We will also ask for political reservations. We want chief minister’s post to be occupied on a rotational basis,” said Thakor. But will the young Davids make it big in their fight against the Goliaths? “It is pretty tough to answer. But if you look at the history of Gujarat, anything can happen,” said a senior BJP leader. <br /><br />He gave examples of strong chief ministers like Chimanbhai Patel and Madhavsinh Solanki, who lost power in the 1970s and 1980s to a movement by young and relatively unknown students. “In politics, the Opposition that can upstage you comes from unwarranted quarters,” he added.<br /><br />Till then, it remains to be seen whether the current crop will continue to hog the limelight or end up being part of a sub-plot that will unravel over time.</div>
<div>The stage is set, and the spotlight is now on the leaders who seem geared up for the battle. The fight appears to be between the political novices, 22-year-old Hardik Patel and 39-year-old Alpesh Thakor, and the veterans represented by Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel, her mentor Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the old wily fox Shankarsinh Vaghela and Bharatsinh Solanki, both of the Opposition Congress. <br /><br />There may be other players but for now, they appear to be behind the curtain. Hardik stirred the hornet’s nest by galvanizing over six million Patels in the last two months to hit the streets and seek OBC status for the community. Thakor on the other hand, is trying hard to emerge as a leader among the OBCs who are opposed to Patels’ demands. The established players like Anandiben and Modi seem to be walking the tightrope. <br /><br />Sidelined Patel leaders like Gordhan Jhadaphia, home minister during the infamous Godhra riots of 2002, has raised his voice against his own government’s inaction against police atrocities. <br /><br />“This is a complex scenario and difficult to fathom what is going on,” says Sudarshan Iyengar, a Gandhian and former vice-chancellor of Gujarat Vidhyapeeth. But one thing is for sure. The state appeared to be at a loss since the unfolding of events from August 25 when the Patels held their “Maha Kranti Rally” in Ahmedabad with over a million participants. <br /><br />The government also appeared to have little control over the police, which ran riot entering homes, destroying property and beating unarmed women and children mercilessly. The chief minister appeared helpless. In a television address, she pleaded with the police to work with the people. <br /><br />The Gujarat government curbed mobile internet services and social media sites from August 26 as the entire Patel movement was led by effective use of these platforms. <br /><br />“For five days, there was no mobile internet. What sort of democracy is this? No other govt has ever taken such a step?” asks Chetan Rawal, a Congress leader. The government perhaps sees a ray of hope as the movement appears to be heading for a split between Hardik-led Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) and Sardar Patel Group (SPG) of his former guru Lalji Patel. <br /><br />“We are all together. It is just people who keep talking. We are going to sit on indefinite fast together,” said Hardik, as Lalji said that this movement is above individuals. “Henceforth, we will have programmes under the aegis of SPG,” said Lalji.<br /><br />Hardik’s colleague in PAAS, Chetan Patel, said: “We have support of 192 Patel organisations and SPG is one of them.” But it was PAAS which organised the “Maha Kranti Rally”.<br />Monday lost, Lalji sought a CBI probe into the police atrocities and stated that the SPG may take out a yatra with the ashes of 32-year-old Shwetang, who died in police custody. Hardik expressed complete ignorance on this development.<br /><br />Flip-flop<br />Hardik also seems to be doing a flip-flop now and then, a sign of raw political naivety or to confuse opponents. On August 25, his supporters initially did not allow Lalji on stage but relented later. Hardik then said that he would sit on an indefinite fast till the chief minister personally receives the memorandum. But when a rally led by Lalji marched towards the collector’s office, Hardik joined it.<br /><br />Meanwhile, Thakor, the man who gathered around 1,00,000 people from 146 OBC castes, said they will also oppose any demand by Patels to be included in the OBC list. “Patels don’t need it. They are affluent. Twelve per cent population have 44 per cent government jobs compared to 54 per cent OBCs who have a mere 15 per cent government jobs.<br /><br /> Their children have all the resources to go and study even in the US and self-finance colleges run by Patels. Our children are poor and study in pathetic government schools. There is no competition here,” said Thakor.<br /><br />He feels that the entire movement is geared up towards removing reservation. “They think we are low and they are high in social hierarchy. We have been oppressed over centuries and just 50-60 years of affirmative action cannot wash away years of neglect. Moreover, OBCs have got reservation only 23 years ago, which is just one generation,” he added.<br /><br />Thakor now plans to unite OBCs and press for expansion of reservations to the private sector. “We will also ask for political reservations. We want chief minister’s post to be occupied on a rotational basis,” said Thakor. But will the young Davids make it big in their fight against the Goliaths? “It is pretty tough to answer. But if you look at the history of Gujarat, anything can happen,” said a senior BJP leader. <br /><br />He gave examples of strong chief ministers like Chimanbhai Patel and Madhavsinh Solanki, who lost power in the 1970s and 1980s to a movement by young and relatively unknown students. “In politics, the Opposition that can upstage you comes from unwarranted quarters,” he added.<br /><br />Till then, it remains to be seen whether the current crop will continue to hog the limelight or end up being part of a sub-plot that will unravel over time.</div>
