Two months ago, who heard of Hardik Patel, a 22 year B.Com graduate who has now taken Gujarat by storm? No one, I guess.
Today, he is being called the ‘New Modi’, has a huge following of the Patidar community, and has brought a political turmoil in Gujarat. His demand – OBC status for Patidar community. He started his protests right before the local body elections, and warns about the outcomes that the government can face if his demands are not met. Those demands which would eventually lead to an inverse proportionality between other OBC communities and the Patidars as they would be the ones rising high by utilizing the share of other’s privileges and the other communities would be pulled down to ruins once again.
He was a member of the Sardar Patel Group, a leading Patidar youth body, and was the president of the Viramgam unit but was ousted as the leader of the group, Lalji Patel, was not amenable with the idea of Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) that is, today, taking Gujarat by the masses.
He states that the Patidar community has been neglected due to the reservation system, and has not been getting enough chances to be represented in the wider sphere. Though, there are six ministers in Gujarat CM, Anandiben Patel’s cabinet who belong to the Patidar community. 40 of BJP’s 120 state lawmakers are Patidars. Gujarat, the model state of the country, has the Patidar community as the symbol of growth and development. The Patels are the business section of the society who are rich, self employed and hard working, and are at the same time, politically powerful. They make up 15% to 20% of the Gujarat population and have gained huge shares of the state’s diamond and textile industry. Hundreds of thousands have emigrated to The United States and Britain, where they are regarded as the most economically successful immigrant groups.
Do you think they still need more ‘opportunities’ and ‘chances’ to represent themselves in the wider sphere? If yes, what is the definition of these ‘chances’ that they talk about?
Are they talking about the opportunity to suppress all other communities and raise themselves as super powers?
The Constitution of India introduced reservation to help those lying under atrocities committed by ones who considered themselves superior. Law makers wanted an India where every man stood on the same level. Today, when this goal was about to be reached, the ones who already are affluent are trying to reverse the time to centuries ago, the gap that was narrowing will widen again.
Reservation is meant to uplift the situation of the minorities who have faced a harsh past, and deserve more than they get. Patidar community is considered to be affluent in their lifestyle, and is self sufficient.
They have had access to modernity and capital for about a century and half. Giving them a place in the reserved candidates would only take away the opportunities from those who are suppressed and need to surface above the atrocities of age old caste system. Splitting their percentage of share for a community that stands tall and proud on its own would be sheer injustice to communities who still require shoulders for support.
