Is This The Gujarat Model?

After robust and heartfelt celebration of independence on 15 August, 2015, hardly within a split of 10 days, Gujarat turned into a violent and an ugly State. Traditionally Gujarat is known for peaceful and harmonious atmosphere for trade and business barring notoriety for communal clashes at times. However, there was absolute peace in Gujarat since about 13 years. All that Gujarat had witnessed was a vibrant business friendly atmosphere.

But what happened on 25th & 26th August in various cities, towns and villages of Gujarat was sensational and stupid. A mere 22 year old college pass out Hardik Patel calls for a rally demanding OBC status for Patels, a caste traditionally powerful in economic and social contexts. Rally gets tremendous support from the community and lakhs of patels gather in the economic capital of Gujarat, Ahmedabad. On the evening of 25th August, after the arrest of Hardik Patel, Police and the protesters got into scuffle and then the whole of the State paid the price for it. Agitated people burnt numerous buses and public places including bus stands and police stations. The violence saw deaths of at least 8 including police personnel. 

Interestingly, Hardik Patel and team has not even referred to an Application being made to the National Commission for Backward Castes (NCBC) for inclusion of Patels in the OBC category. Was an application ever made to the NCBC? Has the NCBC conducted survey and submitted its report to the Union Government? Has any decision been taken by the Union Government regarding OBC status of Patels considering the report of NCBC, if any? Why is the State Government being targeted, though it has no role to play in the conferment or non-conferment of OBC status on Patels? There is also no clarity as to whether the agitation is for inclusion of Patels or exclusion of others from the OBC category? None of these pertinent issues have been addressed by Hardik and Co.

I don't intend to enter into the debate of whether Patels should be given reservation benefits by including them in OBC category or whether the current reservation system has outlived its time and it needs a paradigm shift from socially backward to economically backward considerations. Patels getting or not getting reservation benefits may be a non-issue in some time. Hardik Patel's name may also be forgotten. Much more important, relevant and grave is my concern about Gujarat and India.

Those images of buses, cars, jeeps, police stations and other public places being burnt to ashes cannot be washed off the memory lanes so easily. At the same time, the scenes of police beating up civilians and breaking their cars can also not be forgotten.

When a man from Gujarat is telling the whole world in the most emphatic terms to trust India as a safe haven for investments and is inviting them all to invest in India, we have just about tarnished the image of our nation. We have yet again shown that India hasn't risen above the internal conflicts. When Gujarat itself is witnessing such horrific incidents, why should anyone believe Modi. There was a forced shutdown on 26th August in Gujarat. Is this the Gujarat model our PM is so proudly flaunting?

Modi was elected as PM only after the nation was convinced that Modi's Gujarat is peaceful, business friendly, ever developing and does not indulge in non-sense. That said everything about Modi's governance. During his Chief Ministership, Gujarat developed like never before. Modi undoubtably played an efficient and admirable administrator, but it also implied the support of the 5 crore gujaratis, as he would fondly say.

The events that happened in Gujarat on 25th and 26th August are disgraceful and foul. Whether a certain community deserves to be granted reservation is certainly worth discussing, but the liberty cannot extend to giving a few people free reigns to destroy, demolish and burn public properties and offices under the garb of agitation. They have no right to do so. Those acts are dastard and condemnable. Even more condemnable is the fact that the leader of the agitation, Hardik Patel took pride in what Gujarat was turned into by his supporters. He went on to say that he would take control of the situation only if the demands were accepted which unambiguously indicated that he had held the State for ransom. Such a leader should have been thrown away that very moment.

These events are deplorable and deprecable. They show Gujarat and most importantly India in bad light. Admitting mistakes committed by all during these 2 days will help little, but it might help us exercise self restraint next time a like issue crops up. No caste, no community can progress alone. Divide is to everyone's detriment. 

Jay Hind.

PS: I have nothing against Patels or their reservation demands. I am not included in the reserved categories, nor do I ever intend to be included. Have at least as much faith in my capabilities that I surely don't need reservation.