Gujarat Congress president Amit Chavda

AHMEDABAD: Unhappy over a recent Supreme Court order on reservation, the Gujarat Congress on Monday threatened to stage a protest on February 24 outside the newly built cricket stadium here where US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will take part in a mega event. On February 24, the stadium at Motera would be inaugurated by Trump and Modi, and the two leaders will also address a gathering on the occasion.

The opposition party said it will not hesitate to hold a protest against the BJP outside the stadium if the Centre fails to take appropriate decision over the apex court's ruling on reservation in jobs for SC/ST communities.

The Gujarat Congress on Monday organised a 'Save Constitution' rally in the Sarangpur area over the last week's SC judgement which says states are not bound to provide reservation in appointments and there is no fundamental right to claim quota in promotions.

The Congress demanded that the NDA government file a review petition against the SC ruling or bring a constitution amendment to nullify the order.

"The Congress will not let the rights of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Castes taken away. No one can snatch reservation rights till the Congress is there."

"This protest is just the beginning. In coming days, we will reach out to people in small towns and villages. If needed, we will hold protests at Motera and Delhi," Gujarat Congress president Amit Chavda said while speaking at the rally.

In his address to party workers, All India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge for Gujarat Rajiv Satav said the BJP has always "conspired" against the marginalised sections and tried to take away reservation rights.

"Both the BJP and the RSS are trying to remove reservation since many years now. It is their agenda to remove reservation, which was introduced by our great leaders so that the marginalised sections of the society get equal opportunities," said Satav.

The rally was attended by several senior Congress leaders and MLAs, including former party state unit chiefs Bharatsinh Solanki and Arjun Modhwadia.

MLAs Shailesh Parmar, Himmatsinh Patel, Lakha Bharwad, Kanti Kharadi, Babu Vaja, Gyasuddin Shaikh, C J Chavda and Vimal Chudasama, among others, also took part in the rally.

From Sarangpur, party leaders went to collector office and handed over a memorandum asking the ruling BJP to file a review petition against the SC ruling or bring a constitution amendment to nullify the quota order.