Seven years after leading a successful agitation of Patidars for reservation, Hardik Patel, a leader of the community and Gujarat Congress working president, has threatened a new protest. Hardik Patel has warned of a new agitation if the BJP government in the state failed to decide about withdrawing cases against Patidars who had taken part in the 2015 protest.
Cases were slapped against hundreds of Patidars by the state government during the 2015 agitation that had turned violent. Fourteen Patidar youths had lost their lives. Hardik Patel, under the aegis of Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS), was demanding that Patidars be included in the OBC category.
Hardik Patel announced on Monday that if the government failed to decide about withdrawing the cases by March 23, then Patidars would launch a statewide agitation. “It isn’t that the agitation is being done because Gujarat is facing an election this year. We have been hearing that the government is withdrawing the cases, but nothing has been done so far,” Hardik said.
Following the 2015 agitation, the Central government had announced 10 per cent reservation for the economically weaker sections of society that do not fall under any other category.
Hardik Patel has time and again termed the move of the Central government to give reservation as a success of the 2015 agitation.
The firebrand leader said that he is demanding withdrawal of cases because the Patidar youths have been facing problems in attending court hearings. They can neither apply for jobs nor can they go abroad due to the cases.
Hardik Patel, who is also facing sedition charges among many other charges, said that he was not warning of an agitation to get cases against him withdrawn. “If charges against me are not withdrawn, then it is okay. I will not be able to fight elections for few more years,” he remarked.
He said that all (even non-Patidars) are getting benefit due to the reservation announced by the government.
Hardik Patel complimented Anandiben Patel for withdrawing cases during her stint as the chief minister.
He, however, said that no cases were withdrawn during the tenure of Vijay Rupani, who succeeded Anandiben.
Hardik Patel said that Patidar leaders from social and religious organisations had met the new chief minister Bhupendra Patel, but no cases have been withdrawn.
He alleged that the state government has even failed to listen to the appeal of its very own lawmakers. If the idea is only to fool the people and the community, then there is no point of having talks, he said.
Without naming them, Hardik Patel took a dig at Patidar leaders of some social and religious organisations, saying that if they are not able to convince the government to withdraw the cases, then they should resign from their respective posts.
He said that if need be, he would resign from the post of Gujarat state Congress working president and take part in the agitation.
He also announced a series of programmes would be done before launching an agitation.
