: BJP today demanded that the Puducherry Chief Minister ensure that private medical colleges in the Union Territory earmark seats in government quota for students aspiring for postgraduate courses in institutions.
President of BJP's local unit V Saminathan said in a release that the Congress while in opposition had criticised the managements' 'irresponsive' attitude to pleas by various outfits and students, but was now remaining silent without urging allocation of seats for the government quota.
He said students were facing a piquant situation with managements demanding not less than Rs three crore for a seat in the PG stream. Hence government should step in and ensure quota for students sponsored by it for the courses.
Saminathan also alleged that private medical colleges were insisting that students pay hefty fees before July 5 for the MBBS course.
"We want to warn government that if this happens to be
some kind of tactic to buy time, we will wait till Monday for some concrete proposals from the government and if they are not satisfactory then we will intensify this agitation under the leadership of Hardik Patel," Patel said.
He alleged that the ministers had attended the meeting sans any homework and that the government representatives had no decision-making power.
In a message sent from Udaipur, where he is living in exile as part of the conditional bail granted to him by the Gujarat High Court earlier, Hardik said the Gujarat government cannot make any decision on reservation independently but have to rely on Centre.
"It seems all decisions are being taken from Delhi. When our representatives went to meet the government, they told us that they will inform us on Monday after discussing with the party high command and chief minister. We will wait till Monday and after that we will intensify our agitation," he said.
Meanwhile, the deputy CM added that government has advised PAAS to make a proper representation before the OBC commission if they want Patidar community's inclusion in OBC category.
Last year, the violent agitations by Patidars seeking reservation in government jobs and education had rattled the government, then led by Anandiben Patel.
Following the violence, Hardik was booked in two separate cases for sedition.
The government had later introduced quota for economically weaker sections among the non-reserved category to pacify the Patel community. However, Gujarat HC quashed the government's move, terming it unconstitutional.
The four main demands of the Patel community are: constitutionally valid reservation, creation of Patidar Development Board for the development of the community, justice and proper compensation to family members of those who died during the quota agitation and punishment to government officials responsible for committing 'atrocities' on the community when the agitation turned violent.
