Politicians, Patidar quota supporters in Gujarat welcome SC order on EWS reservation

Ahmedabad: Leaders from different political parties and those who led the 2015 Patidar quota agitation in Gujarat on Monday welcomed the Supreme Court's decision upholding the validity of 10 per cent reservation to the economically weaker sections in admissions and government jobs.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, who is the Congress's senior observer for the upcoming Gujarat elections, said the apex court judgement will help the poor people get justice. In a landmark verdict, the Supreme Court by a majority view of 3:2 on Monday upheld the validity of the 103rd Constitution amendment providing 10 per cent reservation to people belonging to the economically weaker sections (EWS) in admissions and government jobs.

The court said the quota does not violate the basic structure of the Constitution.

A five-judge constitution bench headed by Chief Justice U U Lalit pronounced four separate verdicts on 40 petitions challenging the validity of the 103rd Constitution amendment promulgated by the Centre in 2019. Gehlot said the Rajasthan cabinet had for the first time in the country passed a resolution for reservation for the economically weaker sections when he was the chief minister of the state and (BJP leader) Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the prime minister.

"Committees were formed and at last this led to the (103rd) constitutional amendment. I welcome the Supreme Court judgement. This will help the poor get justice. Our spirit should be that a poor person, irrespective of which community he belongs to, gets justice," Gehlot told reporters in Vadodara.

BJP leader and Gujarat's former deputy chief minister Nitin Patel said the SC verdict will put an end to the agitations that were seen in the past in many states including Gujarat.

"The provisions (of 10 per cent EWS quota) upheld by the Supreme Court will strengthen the country's unity. The entire country is happy about this. I also welcome the verdict," he said.

BJP leader Hardik Patel, the former convener of the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti that led the community's agitation for the reservation in 2015, said members of 68 communities will get the quota benefits.

"The decision taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been upheld by the Supreme Court. Members of 68 communities will get benefits in education and jobs. I feel proud that people will be benefited by our (quota) agitation," Patel said.

Aam Aadmi Party's Gujarat president Gopal Italia also welcomed the apex court's verdict and said a demand for the same was led by the Patidar community members and the state's youth like Alpesh Kathiriya, now an AAP leader.

Italia said the demand for reservation to the EWS candidates was made by people from different parts of the country and it was led by the Patidar youth in Gujarat through the agitation in 2015.

"This was the demand of the whole country and it was led by the Patidar community and youth like Alpesh Kathiriya. I welcome this judgment of the Supreme Court and congratulate beneficiaries of the 10 per cent reservation," he said.

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Reshma Patel, who had participated in the Patidar quota agitation, also welcomed the verdict.

"The verdict adds an extra virtue to the outcome of the struggle of the Patidar youth in Gujarat. A large section of people from the economically backward section will benefit from the judgment and 10 per cent EWS reservation," she said.