Nitin Patel claimed that in 90s Kapil Sibal had argued that reservation shouldn't be given beyond 50%
Accusing senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal of "misleading the Patels", Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel said Mr Sibal, a prominent lawyer, himself had argued before the top court in 90s against increasing the reservation quota and now he is advocating the quota demand by young leader Hardik Patel-led outfit Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS).
Mr Patel claimed that in 1998 Mr Sibal had argued that reservation should not be given beyond 50 per cent. "Both he and Hardik Patel are misleading the Patels," he told NDTV.
Hardik Patel has been urging his powerful Patidar caste to support the Congress in the assembly elections. The Congress, he said, has offered an acceptable solution for how to include Patels as beneficiaries of affirmative action policies.
The Patel community, 14 per cent of Gujarat's voters, has backed the BJP for decades. But galvanized by Hardik Patel, who launched a mass campaign two years ago, it now wants to be included in the castes that benefit from affirmative action policies. Because the BJP has failed to do so, Hardik Patel has vowed to work with the Congress to oust it from power.
Gujarat will vote on December 9 and 14. Results will be announced on December 18.
Nitin Patel, who himself is a Patidar, listed a number of cases represented by Mr Sibal in the past where he had argued against the increase in reservation.
Mr Patel cited a 1998 Supreme Court case - Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh versus Faculty Association and others- in which Mr Sibal had appeared as a counsel.
"Now Sibal has given a new formula to PAAS. Which Sibal is right? Sibal and PAAS should apologise for this naive act," Nitin Patel said.
The state's deputy chief minister alleged that the elections this time are being fought on caste issues and alleged that the Congress is propagating division among people. "Congress party and its leaders are on a lying spree. It looks like they feel Sonia Gandhi will reward them if they tell more lies," he said.
The BJP has been alleging that Hardik Patel was a B-Team of the Congress. The young leader however, countered the charge saying, "I am the B-team only of the janta (people) and Gujarat does not belong to the BJP."