Industry observes closure to protest 'politisation of quota issue'

Ahmedabad, May 30 (UNI) More than 1000 units at the Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) Estate here today observed ''bandh'' in protest against ''politicisation'' of the reservation issue.

Another cluster of about 450 units at the adjoining GIDC Estate at Odhav, also in the city, have declared a ''bandh'' on June 2.

These associations have sent reperesentations to President A P J Abdul Kalam and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh strongly condemning the ''vote bank politics''.

Naroda Industries Association president Piyush Patel in a press release, questioned as to why successive governments after Independence could not improve the quality of higher education.

Association vice-president Shailesh Patwari, who is also chairman of the Naroda Enviro Project, speaking to UNI lamented that on the one hand the Government stresses on knowledge creation and development but on the other hand its policies are diluting the quality in the centres of excellence be they educational institutions or the industry.

He said the industry, per se, was not against reservation, but was against the manner in which it was sought to be imposed.

Efforts should be made not just to enhance the competence of OBCs, but economically poor people. There could be concession in tuition fee and scholarship for meritorious students, he said.

UNI VKC MAZ MA PM1621