With 21-year-old Hardik Patel leading the charge, at least half a million protestors paralysed the heart of Ahmedabad today, demanding reservation in government jobs and colleges for the powerful Patels or Patedars, one of Gujarat's most affluent and influential castes. Is the demand for reservations justified? And what are the political costs at stake for the BJP?
Hardik Patel, who has emerged as the spokesperson for the massive campaign was clear in his warning to the BJP government. "In the next (Gujarat) election in 2017, the lotus (BJP symbol) will not bloom if our needs are not met," he said at a packed public ground, around which nearly 20,000 security personnel were posted. (Audio in Hindi)
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