After Patel jolt, BJP fears Gujjar, Jat, Maratha reservation surge

Vibha Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 28

Gujarat may slowly be returning back to normalcy after braving the Hardik Patel-led reservation storm. But the BJP’s troubles — both in the state as well as at the Centre — appear to be far from over. The 22-year-old face of the Patel or Patidar agitation has already indicated his mind — of turning his fight into a nationwide stir and also roping in Gujjars and Jats, who are demanding a share of the OBC reservation pie.

The biggest worry before the ruling party is of caste-based reservation protests again gaining strength among Gujjars in Rajasthan, Marathas in Maharashtra and Jats in north — Haryana, Punjab, West UP and Rajasthan.

BJP sources indicate leaders — of both political party as well as its ideological fountainhead RSS — are touching base with senior leaders and opinion-makers from the Patel community to “to drum sense about the  danger and futility of Hardik Patel-type dangerous exercises”. The numerically strong farming community of Gujarat — the Patels — have been backing the BJP for the past many years in the state. An RSS ideologue confirmed that the BJP-RSS cadre were “at work” in Gujarat’s Patel-dominated areas to ensure that Hardik’s agitation did not get fanned further.

But Hardik has already indicated he would try to intensify the agitation and also rope in Gujjars for support. He said he would visit Delhi and meet Patidars from Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh to “decide the future of course of nationwide action”. Alongside, he said he would also meet leaders of Gujjar and Jat agitations.

Inclusion of the Patel community in the OBC category is the sole objective, however, he was not for abolition of the quota system, Hardik was quoted as saying.

Indications are that Jats have already decided to follow in Patel’s footsteps. Reports suggest they will soon stage a protest in Delhi and the Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti has also launched a nationwide drive to rope in youth for the Jat Yuva Sena. While the Gujjar agitation is also believed to be poised for a re-launch, the demand for Maratha, Muslim and Dhangar reservation has also re-surfaced in Maharashtra.

Ahead of the Bihar elections, Janata Dal-United leader Nitish Kumar has also supported Patel’s “my-way-or-the-highway” agitation. BJP leaders claim it would not affect the prospects of the party in the forthcoming state elections in any way. “Nitish Kumar is more a case of an enemy’s enemy being a friend. Narendra Modi is his enemy number one and Kumar will support anyone who creates problem from him. On the contrary, the support to Patel may backfire on him as it may anger OBCs in the state who enjoy the reservation. Including any more communities will cut into the share of those who already enjoy the quota,” he says.

Caste-based reservation protests 

• The BJP fears caste-based reservation protests may again gain strength among Gujjars in Rajasthan, Marathas in Maharashtra and Jats in north - Haryana, Punjab, West UP and Rajasthan
• Jats have already decided to stage a protest in Delhi with Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti launching a nationwide drive to rope in youth for the Jat Yuva Sena
• The Gujjar agitation is also believed to be poised for a re-launch, while the demand for Maratha, Muslim and Dhangar reservation has also resurfaced in Maharashtra