AHMEDABAD: Patidars have played a pivotal role in Gujarat's politics. Patidars have 44 percent of the vote share, so politicians of all parties give more importance to Patidars in Gujarat. Recently, representatives of the Kadwa and Leuva sects of the Patidar community came together putting the focus back on the Patidar Samaj. Recently, the Modi government at the Centre promoted Patidar leaders, making them cabinet-level ministers, in an attempt to appease the Patidars.
With the Assembly elections coming up in Gujarat in December 2022, the BJP has already launched the Jan Ashirwad Yatra, the Congress has launched the COVID-19 Nyay Yatra and the Aam Aadmi Party started the Jan Samvedana Yatra a month-and-a-half ago. The purpose of the programmes of all these parties is public relations. Through the BJP's Jan Ashirwad Yatra, the Modi government and the Rupani government are taking development work and new schemes to the people.
On the very first day of Gujarat BJP's Jan Ashirwad Yatra, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said at a convention of Patidars in Rajkot that there is a cord-like relationship between Patidars and BJP.
"Patidars means BJP," Mandaviya said. "Prime Minister Narendra Bhai has given me and Kadwa Patidar leader Purshottam Rupala a place in the Union Cabinet and from time to time he has taken care of the Patidars."
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At the same time, Naresh Patel of Khodaldham Trust reacted by saying that "Patidar means BJP" is Madaviya's personal take and many Patidars are also in Congress and Aam Aadmi Party.
"I have already said that Patidar is a broad society," Naresh Patel said. "There may be divisions within the Patidars, many are in the BJP, many are in the AAP and also in the Congress. Political programmes are banned in Khodaldham, but a Leuva Patel has become a cabinet minister. So, Khodaldham always welcomes him bu the issue of a Patidar chief minister will be discussed at an appropriate time."
On the other hand, Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel said at a social function in Mansa that "among Patidars, it's like a full rupee from which a quarter is detached".
"Prime Minister Narendra Modi used to say in the meetings that if this quarter part combines with the Rupee, it becomes very strong," the Deputy Chief Minister said. "This will be auspicious for Gujarati culture also. Hence all sections of the Patidar society need to unite. If all goes well, I will talk to my party about it all coming together."
Gujarat Congress state president Amit Chavda told the media that "Mansukh Mandaviya is inciting racism to hide the failures of the government".
"This is not good for society," Chavda said. "Mansukhbhai will remember 2015-2017. He has done politics in the name of Patidars and the answer has been given by the leaders of his society. The BJP is now misleading the Patidars by making such racist statements to hide the government's failure. This is not appropriate in public life."
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Aam Aadmi Party leader Mahesh Savani said told ETV Bharat over phone that "we are all Indians and children of Mother India".
"It is customary to join hands wherever one goes abroad or in the country or in the state," Savani said. "If you go to the city, there too, and if you go to a social program, there is also a connection. There should be no racism in politics. We are all Indians. Only those who do a good job get votes."
Political analyst Haresh Zala told ETV Bharat that "in the 2020 municipal elections, there was an influx of Patidars from Varachha and Katar villages in Surat to the Aam Aadmi Party".
"To stop this flow going towards AAP, the BJP is reminding the Patidars that the its has given a lot to the Patidars," Zala said. "Now the BJP is taking the matter seriously. Patidar is the foundation of BJP and BJP has grown by sitting on the shoulders of Patidars. That is why the BJP has come to know now and so is constatntly reminding people what the BJP has done for the Patidars in the Jan Ashirwad Yatra."
So, when will the politics of casteism be removed from Gujarat ? In any election, every party announces its candidates by taking caste into account. Even as the country and the world move towards modernity and digitalism, racism is not yet gone from politics. Gujaratis need to change their mindset, or vote for the candidate who does a good job. Not because the candidate belongs to any caste. If this change comes, no one can stop India from becoming a Vishwa Guru.
