Congress writes to Gujarat CM, demands special Assembly session

AHMEDABAD: The Opposition Congress has written a letter to Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, calling for a special session of the Assembly to discuss a host of issues, including the government's failure to withdraw police cases against Patidar quota agitation leaders.

Leader of Opposition Paresh Dhanani, who has written the letter, said the BJP government has "failed" to fulfil promises made in the run up to the 2017 Assembly elections and this issue should be dis- cussed in the House.

In a statement, Dhanani said he has written to Rupani demanding a special session of the Assembly to discuss, among others things, the issue of "the government's failure to withdraw police cases against Patidar leaders pertaining to the reservation agitation despite promising the same".

The special session was required as the Rupani government has gone back on a number of promises made before the elections, the senior Congress MLA said.

There was also a need to discuss why "no action has been taken by the government against the perpetrators of inhuman action against the Patidars" during the 2015 quota stir, he said.

Nearly a dozen people were killed when the stir took a violent turn three years ago.

In an attempt to appease the politically influential Patidar community ahead of the December 2017 polls, the BJP government had announced it will withdraw police cases against its members who took part in the reservation stir.

However, police cases, including those related to sedition, against Patidar leaders have not been withdrawn yet, Dhanani maintained.

The Leader of Opposition also raised the issue of "exorbitant" fees charged by private schools and sought the government reply on its "inaction" against such schools.

"The Fee Regulation Act was brought before the 2017 Assembly elections to curb exorbitant fees charged by private schools. But after the polls, the education minister said fees (set by these schools) will have to be paid," he said.