Hardik Patel's Best Shot Could End His Community's Famed Solidarity

Ahmedabad Gujarat: HighlightsHardik Patel 24 probably to divide the Patidar community s vote Youth likely to assist him and vote in opposition to BJP But older Patels don t believe Congress say he s selling out to it At a huge temple dedicated to Lord Swaminarayan in imperative Gujarat the head priest appealed recently to worshippers to vote for BJP in December s election. The 200-12 months-vintage Swaminarayan sect one of the wealthiest and most effective religious businesses within the united states of america is ruled by means of the Patidar community.The priest s request is antithetical to the plan laid out for the Patidars with the aid of Hardik Patel the feisty 24-year-vintage from whom the community has been taking its cue in view that 2015 when he coalesced the diminishing prosperity and dissatisfaction of his as soon as-wealthy caste into a powerful agitation against the BJP who he says has betrayed the Patidars regardless of their lengthy-time aid.Through social media huge rallies in cities like Surat and Mehsana and regardless of nine months in prison after which he became exiled from Gujarat for six months Hardik Patel has made a single factor: that his caste ought to be blanketed in those that benefit from affirmative motion policies in Prime Minister Narendra Modi s domestic country. Hardik Patel mobilised the Patidar network against the BJP alleging the Patel youth changed into excluded from education and job opportunitiesThe Patidars have for the closing two decades operated on the assumption that backward castes who're assured a share of government jobs and seats in schools are progressing at their value. In 1981 the Patidars launched a violent agitation opposing reservations for Dalits and Adivasis and in 1985 in opposition to other backward castes. More than a hundred humans were killed within the protests that sprawled over nearly 5 months.Hardik Patel has proven his capacity to attract large audiences. To them he roars regularly with a turban on his head although he no longer appears with a sword as he once used to Defeat the BJP. He has pledged guide to the Congress even though he has neither joined it nor agreed to campaign for the opposition birthday party. Last night in carrier of playing hard to get he changed into a no-show at a assembly with pinnacle Congress leaders in Ahmedabad choosing rather to ship approximately 10 aides to barter what the Congress will provide on reservation to the Patidars. Hardik Patel has vowed to guide the Congress in December s election The very public attraction virtually proved says Achyut Yagnik a political commentator in Ahmedabad that for the primary time in three a long time the BJP is unsure of the Patidars its most unswerving constituency. The Patidars or Patels make up barely 15% of the kingdom s population however they wield monetary and political clout. A 1/3 of the BJP s a hundred and twenty regulation-makers in Gujarat are Patels. So there is a developing anxiety in the ruling party: if Hardik Patel isn't always subdued or co-opted he could split the Patel vote in spite of a proclivity among Patel elders like the leader priest of the Swaminarayan sect to stay on the BJP s aspect.And here s how he may want to do it.Nearly 1/2 of Gujarat s voters are younger than 35 - for the Patidars among them Hardik Patel is pinnacle influencer. They observe him on social media be part of his demonstrations whilst he reaches out to them and perceive along with his seize-the-moment politics. Another institution within the network probably to side with him is his own sub-caste of Kadva Patels who're focused largely in North Gujarat. A majority of them are small farmers and shopkeepers who see no future in agriculture. They want to be declared an Other Backward Caste or OBC. Gujarat has 146 of these already. Together they are entitled to 27% of government jobs. Hardik Patel posing for a selfie along with his supporters at some stage in a rally in GujaratThe Lehua Patels the other prominent Patidar sub-caste is much less probable to desert the BJP. Located within the districts of Anand and Kheda in relevant Gujarat and parts of Saurashtra the Lehua Patels are financially more potent and extra knowledgeable and urbanised than the Kadva Patels. They don t want OBC popularity they need all caste-primarily based reservation to be discontinued.That stand is employed with the aid of the Other Backward Castes to claim that a segment of Patels want not reservation (which would devour into the share of current beneficiaries) however an overhaul of a gadget that has allowed as soon as-weaker castes to emerge as their social equals and occupy top positions inside the bureaucracy. OBC chief Alpesh Thakore who joined the Congress ultimate month says he finds Hardik Patel a natural best friend even as he tries to guard OBC turf from being encroached via Patidars.In proof of ways complicated the competition over caste is another branch of the Lehua Patels from Saurashtra who control the diamond enterprise in Surat and have been badly tormented by its slump seem inclined to ditch the BJP. Party leaders are finding it hard to campaign in numerous parts of Saurashtra as Patidar ruled villages have banned their access (Hardik Patel held his first reservation rally in Surat in August 2015 wherein nearly five lakh Patels participated). At rallies and roadshows Hardik Patel has been delivering speeches towards the BJP governmentThat s why the BJP is not taking any possibilities and has spent the final two years in seeking to marginalise Hardik Patel aware about the political damage he can deliver. Following the Patidar protests in 2015 wherein 14 younger men from the network were shot dead by the police the BJP changed into punished in local body elections in rural elements of Gujarat.The Congress received 22 of the 31 district panchayats and 126 of 230 taluka panchayats. Earlier the BJP held 30 of 31 district panchayats and 194 of 220 taluka panchayats.It changed into round this time that Hardik Patel changed into accused of sedition jailed for 9 months and then ordered to spend another six months outside Gujarat earlier than being allowed to re-input the country in January. Hardik Patel became arrested in 2016 while his agitation for reservation turned violentWhile he was long gone then Chief Minister Anandiben Patel moved to soothe the Patidars with the aid of the use of an executive order to supply 10 percent reservation for the Patidars below a freshly minted Economically Backward Class class. The Patidars brushed off the provide as a political lollipop due to the fact they knew the quota would now not survive the courts.The Supreme Court has set a limit of fifty% on reservation. Gujarat already uses 49% of that allowance. Adding some other caste can be challenged and defeated in court.With the Patidars seething BJP leader Amit Shah compiled his very own crew within the capital of Gandhinagar to route accurate. He started out via changing Chief minister Anandiben Patel (a near confidant of PM Modi) with considered one of his personal guys Vijay Rupani a political lightweight from the Jain network. But to hold the Patels from being indignant through Anandiben s exit Amit Shah ensured top posts for the two outstanding sub-castes of the Patidars. Jitubhai Vaghani a 46-12 months-old Leuva Patel from Saurashtra became appointed country birthday party leader and Nitin Patel a Kadva Patel from north Gujarat the epicentre of Hardik Patel s agitation have become Deputy Chief Minister. Hardik Patel getting his head shaved as a mark of protest alleging atrocities against his network through the BJP government (May 2017)Since Hardik Patel s go back to Gujarat on the start of the year the BJP held truce talks with six distinguished Patidar social companies who then accused him of selling out to the Congress without any firm dedication from its leaders on reservation benefits to the community. The huge crowds at his rallies are made up almost absolutely of Congress workers. Very few Patels are actually assisting Hardik due to the fact they realize that the Supreme Court s cap on reservations can not be lifted by means of him or his agitations. He is misleading the people for personal gains claims Tejshree Patel the previous MLA from Hardik Patel s domestic town of Viramgam. A skilled medical doctor Tejshree Patel turned into with the Congress till August whilst she resigned in conjunction with 14 different Congress MLAs in an try to ensure the defeat of senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel in his re-election to the Rajya Sabha. She later joined the BJP. Ahmed Patel won his bid. Hardik Patel at a farmers rally in Vadodara GujaratPolitical observers in the country accept as true with that the Congress even as desperate to win the Patels assist does no longer completely consider the network. Long before they have become the poster boys for Mr Modi s Vibrant Gujarat campaign for an industrialized Gujarat drawing enormous quantities of funding the Patidars were with the Congress. They deserted the birthday celebration inside the early 80s after it forged the famed KHAM alliance - Kshatriyas Harijans Adivasis and Muslims - which introduced blockbuster results.The Congress also is aware of that any attempt to encompass the Patels within the listing of Gujarat s OBCs will be trashed with the aid of court that is why Vice President Rahul Gandhi has refrained from speakme approximately quotas in his marketing campaign speeches focusing extra on the problems resulting from the newly launched GST tax and demonetization of excessive price notes. Over and over Mr Gandhi drives domestic the point that these reforms resulted in no longer just an economic slowdown but also overwhelmed the entrepreneurial spirit of the small-time Gujarati businessman.Under the situations the fine the Congress can wish for is a department of Patel votes a process which Hardik Patel seems to have embraced. After 25 years the time has come for us to throw out the BJP and loose our network he stated a fortnight ago to a crowd of hundreds at a rally in Saurashtra s Surendranagar metropolis. Hardik asks the human beings - especially men age 50 and more youthful - no longer to vote for the BJP despite the fact that the birthday party fields my father Bharat Patel as a candidate. They cheer wildly but privately admit to being stressed about whether or not to returned the Congress. Hardik Patel has accused the state authorities of dilly-dallying on the difficulty of reservation to Patel community The Congress cannot accommodate the aspirations of each the Patels and the OBCs underneath one roof insists Bhavesh Patel who runs a small hardware business. The BJP takes us with no consideration. Demonetisation and GST has simply hurt us. We believe in Hardik Patel however till the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (his outfit) opens a political the front and begins contesting elections on its own what desire do we have? Bhavesh Patel stops short of naming the celebration with a view to finally get his vote - reflecting the indecision that his community is suffering with. Socially and politically the community perspectives itself as a single entity and often raises the slogan of P for Patels to outline their solidarity - a solidarity that Hardik Patel may want to properly unspool. Ahmedabad: Congress gave 3 options to the Hardik Patel-led Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) at a past due night assembly in Ahmedabad with appreciate to latter s quota demand for its network even as the organisation contributors said they might seek advice from their leaders and felony experts earlier than taking a choice.The options were conveyed to the PAAS participants by way of senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal on the assembly which took place at 11.30 pm and ended at approximately 2 am.File image of Patidar community chief Hardik Patel. PTI We have been given three alternatives with the aid of the Congress party on how to provide reservation to our community in academic establishments and authorities jobs PAAS convener Dinesh Bambhania stated after the assembly.He but did now not expose the details of the options. The options that have been given might be saved confidential until we discuss it with Hardik social leaders of the community felony professionals and then it would be saved earlier than our network. If the community accepts the call for we are able to bring it consequently to the Congress party Bambhania stated.He stated The Congress thought has no longer touched forty nine in line with cent reservations for SC ST and OBC which exists in the nation. The options which have been given are over and above it. The PAAS convener said the assembly befell in a very cordial environment . We have rejected the Congress reservation provide below the Economically Backward Class because it isn't always constitutionally legitimate Bambhania stated.Sibal after the assembly informed a press convention that these days s meeting between Congress leaders and PAAS has delivered desire that something may be labored out. We have mentioned all of the elements and could do all the matters (to provide reservation to the Patidar community) as according to the charter the Congress chief stated.He stated they would once more meet inside the subsequent two-3 days. We assume that the matter turns into clean in to three days he brought.The PAAS participants met Sibal to talk about modalities of providing reservation to Patidars if voted to strength in the imminent Assembly polls in Gujarat.The assembly was scheduled at 9 pm but Sibal reached the venue late.Hardik the Patidar quota agitation spearhead who had in advance set a condition that he would aid the Congress in the Assembly election due next month best if the birthday party dedicated itself to meting out reservation in training and authorities jobs to his community turned into not gift inside the assembly.He had set 7 November because the cut-off date for the Congress to make its stand clear on the issue.The polling for the two-segment elections inside the country will take area on nine and 14 December and votes will be New Delhi 9:55 pm The Congress is working out the modalities of provide reservation to the Patidars underneath the OBC class a condition set with the aid of 24-year-vintage Hardik Patel for extending his community s support to the birthday celebration. (Source: Twitter/@HardikPatel_ ) Related News Ahmedabad collector launches a vote anthem urging youngsters of town to voteGujarat Assembly polls: Over 13 000 register to date to solid vote by e-poll ASHA people protest Congress hope BJP s despairSenior Congress leaders are in all likelihood to meet the Patidar quota agitation spearhead Hardik Patel in Ahmedabad tomorrow to talk about modalities of imparting reservation to the community a precondition set by means of the young leader for assisting the celebration in the coming Assembly polls. According to Congress resources former Union minister Kapil Sibal will lead the Congress crew. The Congress is trying to woo all those disgruntled with the BJP authorities to sew an alliance in its bid to oust the saffron outfit from energy in Gujarat the house country of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah. The Patidars had been worrying that the Congress make its stand clean on the way it plans to offer reservation to them without crossing the 50 according to cent upper restrict on quota constant with the aid of the Supreme Court. The Congress is operating out the modalities of offer reservation to the Patidars underneath the OBC category a circumstance set through 24-12 months-vintage Hardik Patel for extending his community s support to the party. Sibal changed into not to be had for remarks. Sibal has met a few Congress leaders from the kingdom on Sunday. Hardik Patel has said that he would guide the Congress in the Assembly election due subsequent month most effective if the celebration committed itself to dispensing quota in education and government jobs to his network under the OBC class. He had set a closing date of November 7 for the Congress to make its stand clean on the difficulty. Former Gujarat Congress leader Siddharth Patel has said that the Congress excessive-command changed into in all likelihood to take a call on the difficulty of reservation for Patels soon. We have discussed various alternatives at some stage in nowadays s meeting (with Sibal). By day after today the birthday party high command is anticipated to take a name on the ones suggestions (about giving reservations to Patels) following which we will interact in discussions with Hardik Patel he stated in advance. Hardik Patel (24) the face of the quota stir recently met Congress s Gujarat affairs in-price Ashok Gehlot to speak about the quota demand. The difficulty of OBC quota for Patels remained unresolved during a meeting among Patidar representatives and country Congress leaders on October 30. Trying to do a balancing act the Congress had promised to offer reservation in jobs and training to the Patidars underneath the Economically Backward Classes (EBC) category however not inside the different backward class (OBC) group as demanded by using the network. The celebration is making an attempt to wean away the Patidars from the ruling BJP inside the country. The community is assumed to be https://able2know.org/user/ratnamselvi/ a faithful vote financial institution of the saffron celebration and its numerical electricity can tilt the scales in elections. For all the cutting-edge Elections News download Indian Express App More Related News Jitu Vaghani firefights Rajput anger in his constituency over gauchar land row Ulama Council demands Gandhinagar five:fifty nine am Related News Ahmedabad collector launches a vote anthem urging children of metropolis to voteGujarat Assembly polls: Over thirteen 000 sign in to this point to solid vote by way of e-ballot ASHA people protest Congress wish BJP s despairIntensifying the turf struggle between agitating Hardik Patel-led Patidar youths and the Patidar social and religious institutions led by way of community elders an Ahmedabad-based totally Patidar employer got here out in help of Hardik and the agitating Patidar youths who are searching for reservation for the network on Monday. Bhikubhai Patel chief of the corporation Kadva Patidar Parivar Trust (KPPT) on Monday addressed a press conference in Ahmedabad and said that the employer turned into helping Hardik. He said that the Patidar enterprises must no longer make a political akhada out of the community s needs. Recently six Patidar establishments had openly long past towards Hardik pronouncing that every one the needs of Patidars were well-known by way of the kingdom government in the course of negotiations. They had delivered that the adolescents chief become taking Congress s aspect and turning the agitation into his non-public agitation against the BJP authorities. Responding to those feedback Bhikhubhai said that prior to making one of these statement the Patidar firms ought to have consulted all community organisations. He brought that there have been around 300 small and massive Patidar corporations in Gujarat. Jagdish Patel another chief of the company stated We are very lots with Hardik Patel and Lalji Patel and we retain to demand OBC reservation for the community. For all the cutting-edge Elections News download Indian Express App More Related News Jitu Vaghani firefights Rajput anger in his constituency over gauchar land row Ulama Council demands BJP Congress to earmark 18 seats for Muslims Tags: Gujarat Assembly Elections 2017 VIRAMGAM: In 2007 while Narendra Modi introduced Tata Motors Rs 1-lakh-vehicle project to Sanand after the carmaker changed into pressured to leave Singur in Bengal it become a large win for Brand Modi. The move located him as the vikaswadi leader who might bring employment possibilities to the place. Ironically Viramgam barely 30km from the plant is the home turf of caste warriors: Hardik Patel who's annoying reservations for Patidars; https://www.edocr.com/user/sinusheadachecouk2 and Alpesh Thakor who as soon as informed the authorities that Thakors could give up the liquor exchange if jobs had been to be had. Just 35km north of Viramgam Suzuki has set up a large plant. Ford Motors engine plant is positioned closer. While Hardik s home is in Jhalawadi Patidar Society within the town his local village Chandranagar is 6km away. Alpesh is a native of Edala about 15km outdoor Viramgam. Both used to hang out frequently at Bhagyoday Hospital owned by Dr Tejashree Patel. She is the sitting MLA from Viramgam who defected from Congress to BJP throughout the recent RS ballot which Ahmed Patel won. While Alpesh and Hardik make waves throughout the state Tejashree is nonchalant. If either Hardik or Alpesh have been to contest from Viramgam they d lose she stated. BJP rules Viramgam and Detroj taluka panchayats. Congress holds Mandal. Bharat Patel Hardik s father who runs a submersible pump restore commercial enterprise stated I was a employee for Anandiben whilst she stood from Mandal. That s why Hardik refers to her as foi (father s sister). He stated he ll not work for BJP now. Especially due to things they ve performed to Hardik. Chandrakant Patel of Chandranagar who has no land and runs a small store said: Caste and jobs could be the largest elements as each Hardik and Alpesh are from here.