Patidar quota stir may spread across Madhya Pradesh

Patidar quota stir may enter Madhya Pradesh with full force as Gujjars from Rajasthan have decided to support Patidar community members from the state to press for reservation of the community under Other Backward Class (OBC) category.

Patidar quota stir may enter Madhya Pradesh with full force as Gujjars from Rajasthan have decided to support Patidar community members from the state to press for reservation of the community under Other Backward Class (OBC) category.

During the agitation on Wednesday, hundreds of community members gathered at Manasa tehsil of Neemuch district and took out a vehicle rally to press their 10-point charter of demands, including the benefit of 28% reservation for the community members.

Raising pro-Patidar slogans, members led by Patidar community regional president Mahendra Patidar said if the state government does not fulfill their demands before September 20, they will go on a fast unto death at Bhopal from Gandhi Jayanti (October 2), followed by state-wide protest and agitation.

"The Patidar community, known as 'Gujarati' Patidars in certain parts of Madhya Pradesh, is not getting the benefits of reservation under Other Backward Class (OBC) category, despite being listed as OBC in the state," Patidar said.

Patidar community members from Neemuch, Ratlam and Mandsaur, three bordering districts of Rajasthan, participated in the rally in large numbers. Sources claim that nearly 40 lakh Patidars reside in MP and more than one lakh Patidar population alone resides in the three districts.

Umrao Gurjjar, lieutenant of Col Kirori Singh Bainsla, who spearheaded the Gujjar quota stir on Wednesday, came out in support of the Patidar community.

Read: Why ‘Gujarati’ is causing trouble for some ‘Patidars’ in Madhya Pradesh?