The Gujarat Congress held a day-long sit-in in Gandhinagar on Tuesday demanding reservations for OBC communities.
The initiative is seen as the party’s attempt to woo the OBCs, traditional Congress supporters, and bring them back into the party fold ahead of the Lok Sabha poll. “The BJP government has been sitting on the issue of quota for OBCs in the local bodies like panchayats. This sit-in was held to press for the same,” said Congress legislator and Opposition leader in the Assembly Amit Chavda.
He added that all communities in the OBC category must rise beyond their political views and use a common platform to raise their voice against discrimination by the ruling party.
“Today, thousands of people from various OBC groups came out in support. This was not just a Congress programme. Even social and educational organisations and NGOs took part,” Mr. Chavda said.
Prominent OBC leaders like Parshottam Solanki and Alpesh Thakor from the ruling party, though kept away, despite being invited.
Various leaders at the event slammed the BJP government for not fixing the quotas of OBCs in panchayats and not increasing the welfare budget for them. Mr .Chavda stressed that 27% of the State’s budget should be dedicated to OBC welfare, given their population is around 52% in the State. A quota of 27% for OBCs in panchayats and municipalities is also essential, he asserted.
The Opposition leaders criticised the BJP government for delay in making public a report submitted by a commission constituted to ascertain the nature and implications of backwardness in local bodies to decide on reservations for OBCs in panchayats.
The report was submitted by the commission in April this year but it has not been made public. As a result, elections to several local bodies have been put on hold.
