AHMEDABAD: The BJP government in Gujarat is planning an exercise to withdraw criminal cases against Patidars registered during the reservation movement of 2015. This has led to demands that cases against other communities should be withdrawm as well. Assembly election is due next year.
Given that Patidars constitute a significant chunk of voters in the state, efforts have begun to secure their votes. Discussions started soon after a meeting of state BJP president CR Patil and president of Khodaldham Naresh Patel in Rajkot. Khodaldham is a Hindu temple dedicated to Devi Khodal, a patron deity of the Leuva Patels who are a part of the Patidar community.
On Friday, all Patidar BJP MPs from the state met Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel in Gandhinagar to discuss the reservation movement. The MPs proposed that cases against Patidars be taken back. Notably, the CM is from the Patidar community.
This has triggered talks among all community leaders that cases other than those dealing with serious crimes should be withdrawn. In a letter to the CM, Lok Sabha MP Bharatsinhji Dabhi demanded that what the government plans to with Patidars should be extended to members of other communities like Shekhawats and Thakors, who were also booked during the stir.
“What is being planned for the Patidars is a welcome move. Now, we demand that cases against members of other communities be also withdrawn. If the offences are of a serious nature, they should be tried in fast-track courts,” Dabhi said in his letter.
Soon, Chotila Congress MLA Hrithik Makwana wrote to the CM and said, “In a democratic country, everyone has the right to protest. Government should not discriminate only by withdrawing the cases against certain agitators. Government should withdraw all the agitation cases related to LRD recruitment, farmers, Anganwadi workers, agitation against unemployment as well as cases of agitation demanding police-grade pay.”