Gujarat govt's 10% quota is an eyewash, says Patidaar outfit

The Patidaar Anamat Andolan Samiti (Paas), the organisation spearheading Patel quota stir in Gujarat, has opposed the Anandiben Patel government’s 10% reservation for economically weaker sections among upper castes.

Paas on Saturday announced that it would launch a week-long Swarnim Lollipop Mahotsav 2016 (Golden Lollipop Festival) beginning on Sunday across the state against the Gujarat government’s proposal.

“Beginning tomorrow, Gujarat’s foundation day, we are launching Swarnim Lollipop Mahotsav across the state. We will distribute lollipops among children in all the villages and towns to demonstrate our protest,” said Dharmik Mala-viya, Surat co-convenor of Paas.

He said the Samiti was unhappy as there was nothing specific for Patels. The government does not address any other issues put before it, be it OBC status for Patels, release of jailed Patel leaders and action against police personnel involved with atrocities against Patels since August last year. The proposal is nothing more than a “lollipop” for the Patels and all the upper castes, he said.

Patels had launched a similar agitation of distributing lollipops across the state when the Anandiben Patel government had announced a Rs 1,000 crore economic package for upper castes last year to pacify Patel agitators.

“The understanding was that after Hardikbhai is released, we will sit with the mediators and the government to arrive at a mutually acceptable decision. The government imposed the 10% decision on us which is a joke,” he said.