Gujarat cabinet approves demands of Patidar community

Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel on Wednesday informed that the state cabinet has agreed to fulfil demands raised by the Patidar community.

Patel said, "Yesterday a meeting was held between the state government and the pioneers of Patidar community. There we mutually came to some decisions to bring in notice of the government. Today we proposed the three decisions made in the meeting, before the cabinet and the cabinet has approved of all the three proposals."

The Patidar proposal which has received government's nod is as follow:

1. The Patidar community and others who are not entitled to any reservations will be benefitted under the government schemes including educational, agricultural and employment schemes.

 

2. The second proposal was to relieve the police cases on the heads of people during the time of Patidar agitation. The cabinet on this said that the cases which come under the ambit of state government will be taken back.

3. The third demand was to set up a high level commission to probe the police inquiry, including lathi-charge, house raids etc, conducted against people during the time of reservation agitation. On it, the cabinet has asked to appoint a commission where people can plea against the police actions and demand justice against any unjustified police action.

Whatever the commission will suggest, the state government will then take action accordingly.

Starting in July 2015, the people of India's Patidar community, seeking Other Backward Class (OBC) status, held public demonstrations across the Indian state of Gujarat.

The largest demonstration was held in Ahmedabad on 25 August 2015, and was attended by thousands. Later, there were incidents of violence and arson across the state, resulting in a curfew in several cities and towns. Properties and vehicles worth crores of rupees were damaged and destroyed.