Hardik Patel | Janak Patel
EVER SINCE he launched the agitation in 2015, demanding quota for Patidars, Hardik Patel has been in the limelight for his fiery speeches and the sedition charges levelled against him. He openly supported the Congress in the 2017 Gujarat assembly polls and joined the party in 2019. Now, Patel, 26, has been appointed working president of the Gujarat Congress. Apparently, this was done to clip the wings of president Amit Chavda, who is considered ineffective, and also to infuse new blood into the party. Patel’s elevation also aims to balance caste equations. While Chavda is an OBC leader, opposition leader Paresh Dhanani is a Leuva Patel and Hardik is a Kadva Patel.
In an exclusive interview with THE WEEK, Patel talks about his challenges and plans:
Q/ Were you expecting to be appointed as state working president?
A/ It happened suddenly so I was a bit worried, too. It is necessary to shoulder this responsibility as, perhaps for the first time in its history, the party has given this [role] to a 26-year-old.
For me, it is not happiness. It is a responsibility. I will surely succeed. But, for this, I will have to start work from now. My target is to have 50 strong youth in each of the 16,000 villages of Gujarat. They should fight for the party, die for the party. They will be used in the 2022 assembly elections.
We will also keep away from the politics of ‘opposing’ and focus on solving problems. For example, if there is an electricity problem in a village, we do not have to go there and hurl abuses at Narendrabhai (Prime Minister Modi) or the Gujarat government. The idea is to see how the government solves the problem.
If someone asks about the growing unemployment, I would say that it is because of the wrong policies of the government. First fill up three lakh posts that are vacant; that will help three lakh families.
Q/ How do you feel?
A/ It is nice that a farmer’s son has got this opportunity after just five years of public and social life. It is a big thing that Rahulji and Soniaji have kept faith in me. Priyankaji has also supported [me]. When I met Soniaji, she told me, “Youth like you are needed in the party.”
Q/ What are the challenges you face?
A/ The biggest challenge is to bring people (into) the party. My first responsibility is to bring in youth between 18 and 24. They have never seen Congress rule.
Q/ What else do you plan to do?
A/ Politics is of two types—table and field. I am not one for table politics. I will go to villages. I will sit on someone’s cot and eat and sleep at someone’s place. If I speak to them, I will get to know the real issues.
It is necessary to bring back enthusiasm among the youth by winning all the seats in the byelections. (Byelections to eight assembly seats are likely to be announced soon). It will also be about giving prominence to the party worker who has been fighting the BJP rule for 30 years. He may be weak, financially and socially. But give him an opportunity as he has remained with the party.
Q/ The Gujarat model of development is being highlighted. Do you agree with it?
A/ There is a need to prepare a list of problems in Gujarat. When you are part of a television debate, and if a minister says that Gujarat has witnessed development, then we should show details about villages that have not been developed.
Gujarat’s health care infrastructure stands exposed during the Covid-19 [pandemic]. There was no need to kill [gangster] Vikas Dubey in an encounter. Instead, he should have been admitted to Ahmedabad’s Civil Hospital. His last rites would have been done and nobody would have known. Things are that bad.
Q/ Is health care the only sector that is lacking?
A/ Look at education. It is the primary responsibility of the state government, and more than 170 schools have shown very poor results [in the recent state board exams]. What development have you done? If you say that you have made bridges and a riverfront in Ahmedabad, then that is not development.
If laying roads in Ahmedabad and Surat is the definition of development, then what will happen to the people in villages? Development means progress for each person. [Enough development that] he gets good money for his yield in the fields, does not need to take a loan and can marry off his children. If parents spend 80 per cent of their money on children’s education, then the children should have jobs. Where are the jobs?
Q/ The Congress does not accept outsiders easily.
A/ Even in a house, children have a difference of opinion with their parents. Yet they stay in the same house, eat together, sleep together. My case is similar. We will discuss, fight, work for the people and form a government. I do not believe in factions or camps. My faction will be that of the people.
I would like to tell the masses that they have reposed faith in the BJP for 30 years in Gujarat, and yet there are issues. At least put your faith in the Congress one time. Send us back to the opposition if we fail. We do not have public relations companies. We will go to the villages and solve problems faced by the people.
Q/ Do you think the cases against you can damage the Congress?
A/ They will send me to jail. They will not allow me to contest elections. [But] they will not be able to take my life. They cannot take away my courage and determination.
Q/ How will you stop more Congress MLAs from joining the BJP?
A/ A mother keeps a child in her womb for nine months, the parents bring up the child and still they are sent to old-age homes. If a mother cannot read her children’s mind then we also do not have that capability. We need people who speak up, who can go into the chief minister’s chamber and fight.
Q/ Some state Congress leaders are unhappy with your appointment.
A/ Half an hour before my appointment was announced, all the senior leaders called to wish me. They said the party had done some good for the first time.