Modi Cabinet awarded two Gujarat sub-castes OBC status amidst "violent" turn to Patels' reservation stir

Hardik Patel, Togadia

By A Representative
In an interesting turn, the Cabinet under Prime Minister Narendra Modi has "cleared" four sub-castes to be included in the Government of India's list of other backward classes (OBCs). The move, said to be largely symbolic, comes amidst the powerful Patel agitation, which rocked Gujarat, for reservation within the OBC framework. Two of the sub-castes given the OBC category are from Gujarat, while the other two are from Uttarakhand.
The Patel reservation agitation, which took place in Ahmedabad on August 25 with the participation of over five lakh people, turned violent soon after its young leader, Hardik Patel, announced that he had decided to sit on hunger strike for demands of his community. He was picked up by the police, and those who had gathered around him were lathicharged. On August 26, violence erupted amidst Patel call for Gujarat banch, leading to the death of nine and damage to public and private property across the state.
Modi, an OBC by caste, said observers, has moved to provide OBC status to the four sub-castes with a clear eye on the forthcoming elections in Bihar, where he dare not displease the Yadavs, the numerically largest OBC group in the state. This is said to be one of the major reasons why none of the BJP leaders have supported the Patel agitation, even seeking to “look into” the Patel demand that says that either they should be given reservation or there shouldn’t be any reservation.

The move also comes amidst flutter among influential circles about the way Hardik Patel is moving ahead with his future plans. While intelligence sources have told Delhi that circles close to Modi’s veteran former bête noire Keshubhai Patel are supporting the Patel agitation in every possible way, a photograph is circulating showing Hardik with Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Pravin Togadia, known to be a top Keshubhai supporter. Togadia, incidentally, is also a Patel.
A Government of India’s Press Information Bureau (PIB) note said, Union Cabinet at its meeting presided over by Modi on August 26 “gave its approval for the amendments in the Central list of OBCs in respect of two states (Gujarat and Uttarakhand) for making suitable amendments in the Central list of OBCs by way of inclusion/correction of castes/communities as per the advice received from the National Commission for OBCs.”
Those who have been given OBC status are Sipai and Patni Jamat or Turk Jamat (all Muslims) from Gujarat, and Kahar and Tanwar Singhariya from Uttarakhand. "The amendments will enable the persons belonging to these castes/communities to avail the benefits of reservation in government services and posts as well as in central educational institutions as per the existing policy," the PIB’s official statement said.

The Gujarat sub-castes who have been awarded OBC status by Government of India have long been part of the OBC list in Gujarat, said a senior state official. "They have long been in the OBC list", said KG Vanzara, responsible for permitting individuals as OBCs. Critics have accused Vanzara of denying OBC status to those Muslim youth who claim to be genuine OBCs.
"They will also become eligible for benefit under various welfare schemes, scholarships etc. being administered by the Central government, which are at present available to persons belonging to the OBCs," the statement added. The announcement came around the time Modi was appealing to people for peace, and Gujarat chief minister Anandiben Patel coming down heavily on Gujarat police for attacking Patidars allegedly without provocation.

Meanwhile, political circles are speculating that the Patel agitation was triggered by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat after he visited Surat on August 14. Circles in Gandhinagar quote BJP leaders as saying that Bhagwat met Patel diamond merchants during his Surat visit, where it was decided to "fund" the Patel agitation in a big way, and take it across India. Former BJP MLA from Rajkot Siddharth Parmar said, "The agitation was initiated by RSS, but went out of control. Now the RSS is worried."

Comments

Grueling summer ahead: Cuttack’s alarming health trends and what they mean for Odisha

By Sudhansu R Das The preparation to face the summer should begin early in Odisha. People in the state endure long, grueling summer months starting from mid-February and extending until the end of October. This prolonged heat adversely affects productivity, causes deaths and diseases, and impacts agriculture, tourism and the unorganized sector. The social, economic and cultural life of the state remains severely disrupted during the peak heat months.

Stronger India–Russia partnership highlights a missed energy breakthrough

By N.S. Venkataraman* The recent visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to India was widely publicized across several countries and has attracted significant global attention. The warmth with which Mr. Putin was received by Prime Minister Narendra Modi was particularly noted, prompting policy planners worldwide to examine the implications of this cordial relationship for the global economy and political climate. India–Russia relations have stood on a strong foundation for decades and have consistently withstood geopolitical shifts. This is in marked contrast to India’s ties with the United States, which have experienced fluctuations under different U.S. administrations.

From natural farming to fair prices: Young entrepreneurs show a new path

By Bharat Dogra There have been frequent debates on agro-business companies not showing adequate concern for the livelihoods of small farmers. Farmers’ unions have often protested—generally with good reason—that while they do not receive fair returns despite high risks and hard work, corporate interests that merely process the crops produced by farmers earn disproportionately high profits. Hence, there is a growing demand for alternative models of agro-business development that demonstrate genuine commitment to protecting farmer livelihoods.

The Vande Mataram debate and the politics of manufactured controversy

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* The recent Vande Mataram debate in Parliament was never meant to foster genuine dialogue. Each political party spoke past the other, addressing its own constituency, ensuring that clips went viral rather than contributing to meaningful deliberation. The objective was clear: to construct a Hindutva narrative ahead of the Bengal elections. Predictably, the Lok Sabha will likely expunge the opposition’s “controversial” remarks while retaining blatant inaccuracies voiced by ministers and ruling-party members. The BJP has mastered the art of inserting distortions into parliamentary records to provide them with a veneer of historical legitimacy.

A comrade in culture and controversy: Yao Wenyuan’s revolutionary legacy

By Harsh Thakor* This year marks two important anniversaries in Chinese revolutionary history—the 20th death anniversary of Yao Wenyuan, and the 50th anniversary of his seminal essay "On the Social Basis of the Lin Biao Anti-Party Clique". These milestones invite reflection on the man whose pen ignited the first sparks of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution and whose sharp ideological interventions left an indelible imprint on the political and cultural landscape of socialist China.

The cost of being Indian: How inequality and market logic redefine rights

By Vikas Gupta We, the people of India, are engaged in a daily tryst—read: struggle—for basic human rights. For the seemingly well-to-do, the wish list includes constant water supply, clean air, safe roads, punctual public transportation, and crime-free neighbourhoods. For those further down the ladder, the struggle is starker: food that fills the stomach, water that doesn’t sicken, medicines that don’t kill, houses that don’t flood, habitats at safe distances from polluted streams or garbage piles, and exploitation-free environments in the public institutions they are compelled to navigate.

Why India must urgently strengthen its policies for an ageing population

By Bharat Dogra A quiet but far-reaching demographic transformation is reshaping much of the world. As life expectancy rises and birth rates fall, societies are witnessing a rapid increase in the proportion of older people. This shift has profound implications for public policy, and the need to strengthen frameworks for healthy and secure ageing has never been more urgent. India is among the countries where these pressures will intensify most sharply in the coming decades.

Thota Sitaramaiah: An internal pillar of an underground organisation

By Harsh Thakor* Thota Sitaramaiah was regarded within his circles as an example of the many individuals whose work in various underground movements remained largely unknown to the wider public. While some leaders become visible through organisational roles or media attention, many others contribute quietly, without public recognition. Sitaramaiah was considered one such figure. He passed away on December 8, 2025, at the age of 65.

New RTI draft rules inspired by citizen-unfriendly, overtly bureaucratic approach

By Venkatesh Nayak* The Department of Personnel and Training , Government of India has invited comments on a new set of Draft Rules (available in English only) to implement The Right to Information Act, 2005 . The RTI Rules were last amended in 2012 after a long period of consultation with various stakeholders. The Government’s move to put the draft RTI Rules out for people’s comments and suggestions for change is a welcome continuation of the tradition of public consultation. Positive aspects of the Draft RTI Rules While 60-65% of the Draft RTI Rules repeat the content of the 2012 RTI Rules, some new aspects deserve appreciation as they clarify the manner of implementation of key provisions of the RTI Act. These are: Provisions for dealing with non-compliance of the orders and directives of the Central Information Commission (CIC) by public authorities- this was missing in the 2012 RTI Rules. Non-compliance is increasingly becoming a major problem- two of my non-compliance cases are...

Search This Blog