Intensifying their quota stir, residents of some Patel-community dominated villages in Gujarat are withdrawing their bank deposits with one cooperative bank reporting that about Rs20 lakh was withdrawn in just one day.
The residents also banned the entry of political leaders into their hamlets as part of their protest against alleged police atrocities during the violence in connection with the quota agitation by the Patel community.
Banners carrying a stern “warning” to politicians against entering the villages have been put up by angry local Patel residents who are targeting them for apparently not coming out in support of the community after the violence, The Patel leaders demanding reservation under OBC quota had earlier made an appeal to their community members to withdraw their money from banks to give a message to the state government for not acceding to their reservation demand.
Responding to an appeal made by the Sardar Patel Group (SPG—an organisation headed by Lalji Patel seeking quota for Patels), several locals of the Patel community queued up outside the Sabarkantha District Cooperative Bank in Vadrad village of Sabarkantha district yesterday to withdraw their deposits.
“To support the demand of reservation for our community, I have withdrawn Rs50,000 from this bank. There are many others from our community who will also withdraw their deposits. We will not put the money back into the bank till our demands are not met," a local, Mahesh Patel, said.
According to the cooperative bank manager KK Patel, about Rs20 lakh was withdrawn in just one day. “As part of the Patel agitation, these people are withdrawing their deposits. We cleared several cheques worth Rs20 lakh till yesterday afternoon.
The residents also banned the entry of political leaders into their hamlets as part of their protest against alleged police atrocities during the violence in connection with the quota agitation by the Patel community.
Banners carrying a stern “warning” to politicians against entering the villages have been put up by angry local Patel residents who are targeting them for apparently not coming out in support of the community after the violence, The Patel leaders demanding reservation under OBC quota had earlier made an appeal to their community members to withdraw their money from banks to give a message to the state government for not acceding to their reservation demand.
Responding to an appeal made by the Sardar Patel Group (SPG—an organisation headed by Lalji Patel seeking quota for Patels), several locals of the Patel community queued up outside the Sabarkantha District Cooperative Bank in Vadrad village of Sabarkantha district yesterday to withdraw their deposits.
“To support the demand of reservation for our community, I have withdrawn Rs50,000 from this bank. There are many others from our community who will also withdraw their deposits. We will not put the money back into the bank till our demands are not met," a local, Mahesh Patel, said.
According to the cooperative bank manager KK Patel, about Rs20 lakh was withdrawn in just one day. “As part of the Patel agitation, these people are withdrawing their deposits. We cleared several cheques worth Rs20 lakh till yesterday afternoon.
