The 22-year-old, who was in Delhi, said that RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s comments on the need to review caste reservation policy, days after he launched his agitation, showed that the right wing outfit was desperate to get rid of reservations.
Bhagwat had pitched for a review of the reservation policy, contending that it has been used for political ends and had suggested setting up of an apolitical committee to examine who needs the facility and for how long.
“The RSS knows that no one listens to them when they talk about removing reservation. That is why, they think if someone else is talking about it, let’s join too. Bhagwat is trying to jump on a running train that we have started. This is what the Brahmins always do. The upper castes have always got the best of everything. They dominate all fields, including <g data-gr-id="39">judiciary</g>. The lower rung ones get their share because they are vote banks. What is there for people like us who have been left out?” Patel said, adding that the Sangh has only divided <g data-gr-id="42">Hindus on</g> caste lines and blamed Muslims for it.
The comments made by the RSS chief will significantly hurt the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Bihar, Patel said, adding that he was working to unite Kurmi, Gujjar, Maratha and Patel communities across the country.
He added that his first rally in Bihar to support Nitish Kumar will be in Nalanda around October 24.
Patel alleged that the RSS wanted to abolish reservation or introduce reservation on the basis on <g data-gr-id="37">economic</g> status of families, neither of which were acceptable to him. Responding to the recent case in Dadri, wherein a 50-year-old Muslim man was murdered by a mob after rumour flew over his family consuming beef, Patel said such instances are bound to happen because of large-scale frustration among people.
“There is no equality among people. Children are told lies that everyone is equal but as soon as a child is 10, his friends in special categories get scholarships. There is no difference between Hindu OBC and Muslims,” he said.
Patel added: “The <g data-gr-id="34">sangh</g> has been dividing Hindus and spreading communal hatred that only incites people to talk, but not demand their rights. What’s the use? Look at Facebook, the most vitriolic comments come from Hindus about inflicting violence on Muslims. No one knows what the Muslims do inside mosques — what do they talk, what do they plan, but Hindus keep speaking a lot."
Quota crusader vows to fight for farmers
In an apparent bid to broaden his base, Patel quota agitation leader Hardik Patel on Friday made a strong pitch for farmers vowing to “fight strongly for their rights” in Gujarat and other states.
“A lot of <g data-gr-id="104">injustice</g> has been meted out to farmers in this country. We have to fight for their rights. We will fight strongly. Gujarat is my <g data-gr-id="103">turf</g> but I will reach out to other states as well. Today is the birth anniversary of both Mahatma Gandhi and Lal Bahadur Shastri, but people have forgotten Shastri. Nobody remembers his slogan of Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan,” Patel said, addressing a ‘Maha Kisan Panchayat’.
He attacked the ruling classes for politicising issues concerning the peasantry. “I will only say you feed the entire country. If someone tries to fool you, answer their bricks with stones. Give them a befitting reply. Only then there will be talk about farmers' respect,” he said.