Lunawada Patidars too rally for OBC reservation

VADODARA: Members of Patidar community in Lunawada in Mahisagar district brought out a rally on Thursday morning to demand reservation. An offence, which was registered against members of the community, has heightened tempers further in the town. As many as 30 people were named in the offence. Patidar Vikas Sangathan (PVS) brought out the rally to demand reservation, taking a cue from similar programmes held elsewhere in the state.
"We had taken permission for the rally. An application was given for it a couple of days ago and on Wednesday we were given a letter allowing the rally," PVS convener Virendra Patel said. Patel said the rally was conducted peacefully. "We were asked not to use any loudspeakers and did not do so. During the rally too, the police did not point anything that violated the conditions. It was only later that an offence was registered regarding the rally on the grounds that it violated prohibitory orders," Patel said.
He said the community was annoyed at this stance of the administration and suspected that the move to register an offence was politically motivated. He added a bigger rally was now being planned at Lunawada. Patel added that 30 people who were named in the offence had not been arrested yet, but would turn themselves in shortly. "In protest, we will not take bail. The state government should be prepared for its fallout," he added.