Summary: The Patel agitation of Gujarat should not be seen merely as a one-issue movement. More than merely an attempt by youthful members of the Patel community who feel they have been denied their just share of jobs and admissions to coveted educational opportunities it is the tip of an iceberg which points towards a much larger problem of equality and the quota system. Its timing, demands, tone and style have ominous implications for the stability of the Modi regime, and for the problem-solving capacity of India’s democratic governance.