Gujarat CM anandiben patel announces 10% quota for economically backward in general category, including Patidars

Ahmedabad: Gujarat government on Friday declared 10 percent reservation for economically backward in general category which includes the Patidar community. According to reports, the new rules will be applicable from May 1 and will be available to those with less than an annual income of Rs. 6 lakh.  The new quota will be in addition to the existing 49% reservation. The announcement comes amid ongoing protests for reservations in jobs by the members of Patel community. Gujarat's politically influential Patidar community, led by their 22-year-old fire brand leader Hardik Patel, has hightened protests across the state demanding reservation in government jobs and academic admissions since July last year. Patel support has been key to the BJP's stranglehold on Gujarat for the past two decades. Believed to make up at least 15 per cent of the state's population, the well-organised Patel's have the highest number of caste forums and their own magazines, directories and websites. Seven of the 27 members in the Anandiben ministry are Patels, including the chief minister, finance minister Saurabh Patel, health minister Nitin Patel and minister of state for home Rajni Patel. They have given the state four chief ministers, including the current one. The state BJP chief is a Patel too. The community accounts for seven ministers and five of the state's 26 MPs and over 40 of its 182 MLAs.