Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel on Tuesday blamed the Opposition parties for Patel OBC quota agitation. She also asked party workers not to get influenced by their propaganda. She said that the Opposition party is behind the agitation which took place across the State during the last few months.
The Chief Minister was addressing a public rally at her home town Patan and adjoining Mahesana in North Gujarat ahead of the second phase of two-tiered local self-government polls to be conducted on November 29.
She said that the Congress is targeting a woman Chief Minister and trying to turn Patidars against her.
She is facing rage of her own community for her stand over the on-going pro-quota agitation of Patidars for reservation in Government jobs and educational institutions under OBC category. On Monday, she made it clear in an election rally that Patel wouldn’t get reservation at the cost of other backward communities.
“As per constitutional provisions, no Government can increase or decrease the percentage of reservation to those who were getting it. Only the High Court or the Supreme Court can do it. If I try to make a change in the prevailing reservation system then it would be my turn to get in to jail,” she said, adding that the Opposition Congress is frustrated and using Patels to fight against BJP-ruled State Government. Fortunately, Patidars have understood the ploy and again started supporting the BJP.
According to her, Congress had spread rumours pertaining to thieves looting villages in the interior parts of Central Gujarat and Gandhinagar district.
“They didn’t succeed as people themselves discovered that the desperate Congress tried to tarnish the BJP led Government, which is dedicated to development,” she claimed.