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

When democracy becomes a performance: The Tibetan exile experience

By Tseten Lhundup* I was born in Bylakuppe, one of the largest Tibetan settlements in southern India. From childhood, I grew up in simple barracks, along muddy roads, and in fields with limited resources. Over the years, I have watched our democratic system slowly erode. Observing the recent budget session of the 17th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, these “democratic procedures” appear grand and orderly on the surface, yet in reality they amount to little more than empty formalities. The parliamentarians seem largely disconnected from the everyday struggles faced by ordinary exiled Tibetans like us.

Study links sanctions to 500,000 deaths annually leading to rise in global backlash

By Bharat Dogra International opinion is increasingly turning against the expanding burden of sanctions imposed on a growing number of countries. These measures are contributing to humanitarian crises, intensifying domestic discord, and heightening international tensions, thereby increasing the risks of conflicts and wars.

Dhurandhar: The Revenge — Blurring the line between fiction and political narrative

By Mohd. Ziyaullah Khan* "Dhurandhar: The Revenge" does not wait to be remembered; it arrives almost on the heels of its predecessor, released on March 19, 2026, just months after the first film’s December 2025 debut. The speed of its arrival feels less like creative urgency and more like calculated timing—cinema responding not to storytelling rhythm but to the emotional climate of its audience. Director Aditya Dhar, along with actor Yami Gautam, appears acutely aware of this moment and how to harness it.

BJP accounts for 99% of political donations in Gujarat: Corporate giants dominate

By Jag Jivan An analysis of the official data on donations received by national parties from Gujarat during the Financial Year 2024-25 reveals a staggering concentration of funding, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accounting for nearly the entirety of the contributions. The data, compiled in a document titled "National Parties donations received from Gujarat during FY-2024-25," lists thousands of transactions, painting a detailed picture of the financial backing for political parties from one of India’s most industrially significant states.

Alarming decline in India's repair culture threatens circular economy goals: Study

By Jag Jivan A comprehensive new study by environmental research and advocacy organisation Toxics Link has painted a worrying picture of India's fading repair culture, warning that the trend towards replacement over repair is accelerating the country's already critical e-waste crisis.

Beyond the island: Top mythologist reorients the geography of the Ramayana

By Jag Jivan In a compelling new analysis that challenges conventional geographical assumptions about the ancient epic, writer and mythologist Devdutt Pattanaik has traced the roots of the Ramayana to the forests and river systems of Central and Eastern India, rather than the peninsular south or the modern island nation of Sri Lanka.

Captains extraordinaire: Ranking cricket’s most influential skippers

By Harsh Thakor* Ranking the greatest cricket captains is a subjective exercise, often sparking passionate debate among fans. The following list is not merely a tally of wins and losses; it is an assessment of leadership’s deeper impact. My criteria fuse a captain’s playing record with their tactical skill, placing the highest consideration on their ability to reshape a team’s fortunes and inspire those around them. A captain who inherited a dominant empire is judged differently from one who resurrected a nation’s cricket from the doldrums. With that in mind, here is my perspective on the finest leaders the game has ever seen.

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

‘No merit’ in Chakraborty’s claims: Personal ethics talk sans details raises questions

By Jag Jivan A recent opinion piece published in The Quint by Subhash Chandra Garg has raised questions over the circumstances surrounding the resignation of Atanu Chakraborty from HDFC Bank , with Garg stating that the exit “raises doubts about his own ‘ethics’.” Garg, currently Chief Policy Advisor at Subhanjali and former Secretary of the Department of Economic Affairs, Government of India, writes that the Reserve Bank of India ( RBI ) appears to find no substance in Chakraborty’s claims, noting, “It is clear the RBI sees no merit in Atanu Chakraborty’s wild and vague assertions.”

Search This Blog