The blame game has always been a part of politics in the democratic country India. Recently, reacting to the Gujarat High Court’s nullifying of the 10 per cent EWS (economically weaker sections) quota, Minister of Health and one of the front runners for the chief minister’s post Nitin Patel blamed the Congress party and said that the PILs were filed by groups which are allied to it.
The Gujarat HC repealed and set aside the decree of 10 per cent quota for EWS in government jobs and educational institutions.
While adding that the government would move further to the Supreme Court, he said, “The letters written by Hardik Patel (Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti convenor) and representations made by Sardar Patel Group leader Lalji Patel to chief minister Anandiben Patel had clearly stated that they wanted economic quota and that they did not want OBC quota and that is what we did.”
He added, “Hardik Patel had clearly stated that PAAS wanted reservations on the lines of Rajasthan.”
Speaking to media persons on Thursday, Patel said that, “The Congress which had demanded 20 per cent quota instead of 10 per cent, should have joined in the case as third party, in support, instead of opposing it by proxy.” Nitin Patel was the minister headed the seven-member panel.
High Court observed that the Gujarat Government had not conducted any survey on the need and requirement for the upper and fortunate sections of the society before coming to this conclusion. On this, Patel said, “This was not a caste based quota, so the question of survey did not arise. The Gujarat government had studied the Rajasthan and Haryana high court judgments before arriving at this quota.”
Well, only time will tell what next step will be taken in the same case.
