Gujarat govt invites Lalji Patel-headed SPG for quota talks

Deputy chief minister Nitin Patel said the BJP government had invited Lalji Patel and SPG leaders for talks. “Our three-minister committee is ready to talk to SPG representatives in the coming week,” he said.

The state government recently held talks with PAAS, but so far the two parties have failed to reach any agreement. While PAAS is firm on demand of quota under OBC category, SPG has softened its stand, saying it wants reservations for poor Patidar youths in educational institutes and jobs, but it is for the government to decide how to make it possible.

Lalji Patel said SPG had accepted the government’s invitation. SPG would present other demands before the government’s committee too, he said, including report on probe of rape and murder of a woman at Mandvi in Bhavnagar district.

“We will also raise the issue of police repression of Patel youths, martyrdom of Patel youths during 2015 agitation and demand withdrawal of police cases against Patidar agitators,” Lalji said.