Mega rally in Ahmedabad to demand OBC reservation for Patel community

The community warned that if they are not made eligible for quota, the BJP government in Gujarat will face consequences in 2017 polls

In a mega show of strength for their demand of inclusion in OBC category for reservation, the Patel community today warned that if they are not made eligible for quota, the BJP government in Gujarat will face consequences in 2017 polls.

After the rally, the Patel community's young leader Hardik Patel, who is spearheading the agitation, said he will sit on a hunger strike at the venue till the Chief Minister (Anandiben Patel) does not come to take a memorandum from them.

The numerically and economically strong Patel community of Gujarat converged here in large numbers to take part in the rally, which brought the city to a grinding halt.

The 'Maha Kranti' rally comes after a month-long agitation by the Patel community for their demand of reservation.

"If you do not give our right (reservation), we will snatch it. Whoever will talk of interest of Patels will rule over Patels," Hardik told the gathering.

"In 1985, we had uprooted Congress from Gujarat, today there is BJP. 2017 (state election year) is coming...Lotus will not bloom in the mud, it will never bloom. If you will talk about our interest then only we will nurture your lotus," he said, warning the state government.

Patels are unrelenting even though Chief Minister Anandiben Patel earlier expressed her inability to include the community in the OBC category and requested the leaders to end the agitation and come forward for negotiations. The CM had citied Supreme Court guidelines and judgements for her inability to include Patels in OBC category.

"Some parties say you do not not know about Supreme Court guidelines (of 50% cap on reservations), this cannot happen. If SC can open at 3.30 in the morning for a terrorist, then why not for the youth the future of this nation?" Hardik Patel said amidst cheers from the crowd.

"If the country's youth come on the streets to demand their right and if they do not get those rights, some of them will become Naxalites, some of them will become terrorists," he said.