India : Caste Violence !

                             

Tens of thousands of people of Gujarat's Patel community have attended a rally in India's Ahmedabad city


to demand affirmative action for better access to jobs and education.

Patels comprise 20% of the population of Gujarat :

the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Patels control India's thriving diamond cutting and polishing industry and are among the most prosperous  businessmen

and farmers in Gujarat.

But a slowdown in small and medium industries - where many Patels are employed - in Gujarat

has led to a drying up of employment opportunities...

                                   

Some in the crowd were wearing masks of India's first home minister Sardar Patel :

who has been adopted by Mr Modi as a BJP icon !!

                           

"If this government does not heed our demands, the lotus will not bloom in 2017 "

The agitation is led by Hardik Patel (fourth from right), a young community leader :

                           

Buses blown up !

                                 

policemen have been injured in clashes
               
                         

40 police stations in the state have set ablaze by protesters