Special package for Patels likely

The talks on Monday between the agitating Patidar (Patels) community led by 22-year-old Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) convenor Hardik Patel and Gujarat government might see the latter announcing some special package to the Patidars.

For the first time since the Patidars began the agitation demanding an other backward class (OBC) quota reservation in over two months, Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel has agreed to meet Patel and other community leaders for talks.

In yet another twist, Hardik Patel called off the 'reverse' Dandi protest march for the second time this month late on Saturday night, in the wake of talks with the Gujarat government on Monday.

Mediated by Gujarat state Finance Minister Saurabh Patel, the talks could see announcement of some special package to Patidars, apart from an announcement of relief fund of Rs 700 crore for education of economically backward people of all communities in the state, state government sources said.

The government is also likely to agree upon dropping of all cases against Patidars lodged during the violence that had ensued after the Ahmedabad rally on August 25.

Confirming the calling off of the reverse Dandi march, Hardik Patel had said late Saturday night that the Gujarat government had invited PAAS for talks on Monday.

"We have called off the march for now. The minister (Saurabh Patel) has invited us for talks on Monday and assured us if there is no solution till 7:30 in the evening, then we could continue with the march on Tuesday," said Hardik Patel.

He added the decision to call off the 250-km march from Dandi in Navsari district to Sabarmati in Ahmedabad was also taken in the interest of law and order in the state.

Despite a denial of permission on Saturday from the Navsari district administration to hold the march, Patel had earlier said the rally would go on "at any cost". As a pre-emptive measure, about 1,500 police personnel were deployed in Navsari and mobile Internet and SMS were restricted in Navsari for 24 hours.

This is the second time PAAS has called off the march. Earlier, the reverse Dandi march was called on September 6, retracing a demonstration-walk led by Mahatma Gandhi against the colonial British government in 1930.

PAAS had held a massive rally in Ahmedabad on August 25, which later turned violent, sparking clashes and arson in various parts of the state. Eight people, including a policeman, were killed in the clashes.