A day before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit, Hardik Patel-led pro-quota organisation Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) announced a march of its 51 leaders with tonsured (shaved) head from Saurashtra town Botad to Bhavnagar.
“Though we have kept target of 51 PAAS leaders all with shaved heads — including me, any numbers of Patidar youth are welcome to join the march on Sunday. It would be the protest march in support of PAAS’s demand to give reservation to Patel community in Government jobs and educational institutions under OBC category,” said the pro-quota leader at a Press meet on Wednesday.
Patel claimed that though the BJP kept a target to win 150 out of 182 seats in the upcoming Assembly polls, it would hardly win 80 seats as not only Patels but women, Dalits, tribal people and the youth from other castes too were not happy with the ruling party.
Despite PASS leaders meeting with Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) president Bharatsinh Solanki last week, Hardik came down heavily on the Opposition Congress and termed the oldest political outfit in the country as a sinking ship.
“The Congress should not think that the laddoo would fall in to their mouth due to Patel agitation. If they too do not make their stand clear and get their act together, the people may be forced to look somewhere else for a completely new alternative,” said Patel clearing the air that PAAS would support Congress in the forthcoming Assembly polls.
Suggesting the State to set up a separate commission to consider PAAS’s demand to give reservation to Patidar youth in Government jobs as well as educational institutions, Hardik said that if the State Government was serious it should form the commission with immediate effect.