PAAS to hold second round of talks with Gujarat Govt tomorrow

Ahmedabad: Hardik Patel-led Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) will hold another meeting with the Gujarat Government tomorrow to resolve the vexed issue of reservations for the Patel community under the OBC quota.

PAAS will present evidence sought by the Government regarding implementation of more than 49 per cent reservations in some states, it said.

“A team of 11 committee members of PAAS will hold talks with Government tomorrow at 11 AM at Sachivalaya (secretariat) in Gandhinagar. We will submit various proofs sought by the government,” said Hardik in a message from Udaipur, where he is living as per a condition laid down by the High Court while granting him bail.

The first meeting between PAAS and a group of ministers including Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel on December 1 had remained inconclusive.

On Monday, Nitin Patel appealed PAAS to provide proof to back its claim that it is possible to give more than 49 per cent reservations and some states had done so.

Nitin Patel said that various High Courts as well as the Supreme Court had stayed reservations exceeding 49 per cent, including that given to the Maratha community in Maharashtra.

PAAS leader Dinesh Bambhaniya said they had collected the the proof about above-49 per cent quotas in some states.

“We will give all the documents, orders and notifications of other states to the government tomorrow,” he said.

PTI