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‘1,000 Hardiks will rise’: 22-year-old challenges BJP chief Amit Shah

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Ahmedabad: Hardik Patel, Gujarat’s 22-year-old politician, has in a message shared on WhatsApp, asked BJP chief Amit Shah to “stay away” from the agitation he is leading for reservation in government jobs and colleges for the Patel community in the state.

“I request Amit Shah to stay away from the Patel community’s agitation to get reservation. We will not stop it just because you want it. The agitation will not stop till I am alive. And if you still want to crush the stir by force, then you will have to kill me,” Hardik Patel said.

In Ahemdabad, also Amit Shah’s home-town, Hardik Patel said he had “learned from sources” that Amit Shah has been tasked with mediating to end the Patel agitation. “Since we will not end the stir merely on his request, we know that he will use other tactics and force our movement to finish. So I have issued that open message asking him to stay away,” Patel said.

BJP leaders here did not react to Patel’s comments and said they do not know of any plans for Amit Shah to visit Gujarat to resolve the reservation row. In Patel’s challenge to the BJP chief, they see a new attempt to draw attention.

“Even if you kill me, thousand other Hardiks will rise. Try to accept our demands and give us justice. Otherwise, do whatever you can do,” said Patel, who has alleged that he is being prevented from holding rallies and public meetings in Gujarat at the behest of Shah, whose party governs the state.

Hardik Patel is demanding that either the Patels, wealthy and politically influential, be included among the castes that benefit from affirmative action in Gujarat, or then all quota be scrapped. He has also repeatedly reminded the BJP that the Patels have played an important role in powering its political ascent in Gujarat.

The Anandiben Patel government has said it will be unable to meet Patel’s demands and has also prevented the young politician from gathering crowds and addressing public meetings ever since his brief detention after a rally in Ahemedabad led to two days of violence in several cities.

(PTI)

Hardik Patel was never abducted: Gujarat govt to HC

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Hardik Patel

Ahmedabad: Challenging Hardik Patel’s abduction claims, the state government today told the Gujarat High Court that the Patel agitation spearhead’s close aides were in constant touch with the young leader when he allegedly went missing last month.

After the state government filed its affidavit before the Gujarat High Court, division bench comprising justices M R Shah and K J Thaker directed Hardik’s advocate to file an affidavit by October 19 to substantiate claims made in the petition about his alleged abduction by “police-like persons”.

The High Court was hearing a habeas corpus petition filed by two aides of Hardik, when he allegedly went missing after the public meeting in Tenpur village of Bayad taluka of Aravali village on September 22.

“It was a sheer figment of imagination on the part of the petitioners to allege that corpus – Hardik Patel was ever abducted. In fact, he was never abducted by anybody, much less by police-like persons in plain clothes,” said the affidavit filed by Sub inspector Y J Rathod of Ambaliyara police station of Aravali district on behalf of the state government.

“It is not true that the captioned petition had to be filed out of fear, since none of the companions were able to contact Hardik on September 22, 2015 as alleged or otherwise.

In fact, petitioners in particular and few others were in close and constant contact with Hardik Patel all throughout right from September 22, 2015 afternoon till about 11 am on September 23, 2015, when Hardik was alleged to have been released on highway somewhere near Surendranagar, it said.

“There was no question at all about the safety of Hardik as alleged or otherwise, more particularly, he himself on his own eloped, putting not only the entire administration, but also this court in a very awkward situation,” it said.

All these were “deliberate and intentional acts on the part of the petitioners to create sensation at the cost of disturbing public peace and tranquility,” said the affidavit.

(PTI)

Hardik Patel announces formation of new group

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New Delhi: Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti leader Hardik Patel on Wednesday announced the formation of a new group, Akhil Bhartiya Patel Navnirman Sena, with the aim to unite the Kurmi, Gujjar, Maratha and Patel communities.

Patel, who has been spearheading protests in Gujarat to demand reservations for the Patel community, said at a press conference here that the new organisation would try to mobilise support of these communities on the issue of reservation.

Akhilesh Katiyar will be the general secretary of ABPNS.

Katiyar was earlier with the Rashtriya Lok Samata Party, which was led by Union Minister Upendra Kushwaha. The former was expelled from RLSP after he organised Patel’s first public meeting here.

Patel plans to organise a ‘Mahasabha’ (grand meeting) in the national capital next month to further his cause.

“The Akhil Bhartiya Patel Navnirman Sena will fight for the cause of farmers, labourers and youth of the country. We’ll organise a huge rally of all the communities from Delhi, Rajasthan and neighbouring states at Ramlila Maidan next month,” he said.

The Patel Navnirman Sena will organise a ‘Mahasammelan’ (grand conference) of five lakh women in Gujarat on October 4.

On October 11, another Mahasabha of 10 lakh Patidars will be organised in Madhya Pradesh.

Patel said he would fight for reservation in government jobs on the basis of castes.

Earlier, he had indicated that he would fight for reservation in jobs according to the economic condition of the candidate.

We are not breaking the unity of various communities, Patel said.

“We are working to unite people. Only the political parties think about fighting with each other. Patel community always thought about uniting everyone, including the Gujjars, Kurmis and other communities.”

(IANS)

Hardik Patel meets caste leaders in Delhi

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Hardik Patel

New Delhi: Patel quota stir leader Hardik Patel today held a meeting with leaders of several other castes here as part of efforts to consolidate his agitation.

Representatives of kurmis and gujjars among others attended a meet organised by the Akhil Bhartiya Patel Navnirman Sena chief.

Patel had held a meeting with leaders of some of these communities in the national capital last month too.

The young Patidar leader has led massive rallies of Patels in Gujarat, demanding inclusion of his caste in the OBC list for reservation.

His agitation has shaken the BJP government in Gujarat after he organised a massive rally in Ahmedabad on August 25.

The violence that followed his detention engulfed many parts of the state, resulting in death of 10 people.

He has also announced support to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s bid to return to power in his state.

(Agencies)

Sikhs, Patels protest against Modi at UN headquarters

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United Nations: A group of Sikhs and the Patidar community supporters have demonstrated outside the UN headquarters here, coinciding with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speech on Sustainable Development at a special UN summit.

Under the banner of Sikhs for Justice, over 200 Sikhs, alleging human rights violations in Punjab, demanded referendum in 2020 for a separate Khalistan. The protesters, raising anti-India and anti-Modi slogans, urged the world body to take steps to meet their demand. “There is massive violations against minorities, in particular against Christians, Sikhs and Muslims,” SFJ leader Bakhshish Singh Sandhu claimed yesterday.

Side by side in a separate enclosure were a few dozen members of the Patidar community from Gujarat who are living in different parts of the country. “We want justice from police brutalities. As many as 4,000 youths are still in police custody. There has been police brutality against innocent people. So far no action has been taken against the police officials responsible for this,” one Anil Patel claimed.

The protesters were sporting caps of Sardar Patel Group from Gujarat, which is leading the movement for reservations for the Patel community in the State. Meanwhile, a few enclosures later at the UN headquarters, another group of Patels under the banner of Indian Diamond and Gemstone Industry of New York held a welcome rally for Modi.

(Agencies)

Hardik Patel surfaces, says he was abducted

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Hardik Patel

Ahmedabad: Patel quota agitation leader Hardik Patel, who went ‘missing’ after giving a slip to police yesterday, today surfaced under mysterious circumstances at a highway passing from Dhrangadhra town in Surendranagar district of Gujarat, claiming that he was abducted.

According to Patel leaders, Hardik called them at around noon and asked them to pick him up from the highway.

After being ‘found’, Hardik claimed that he had been “abducted” by people with weapons.

“Some persons chased my car near Bayad (in Aravalli district)… then I was picked up by some persons.. after that I was made to sit in a car for the entire night,” Hardik told reporters.

“I was threatened to leave this agitation or I would be eliminated. The person threatened me saying that it is the first and last warning, and if I am ever seen addressing a public meeting in a village, I will be eliminated,” he added.

“After threatening me for entire night and ferrying me from Bayad, he left me at a village in Dhrangdhara taluka of Surendranagar,” said Hardik.

“I do not know who was he, whether a policeman or anyone else but he had a revolver with him,” Hardik claimed.

“I wanted to know about the person and at whose behest he had kept me under his custody for the entire night,” he said.

When asked about his present location, he said he is at Halvad highway in Surendranagar district.

Meanwhile, Gandhinagar Range IG Hasmukh Patel said they could not locate him but if he is found, then he will be produced before court.

“We learned that Hardik Patel is somewhere between Dhragadhra and Halvad towns of Surendranagar district. But, since we do not have his exact location, we could not locate him yet,” Patel said.

“Surendranagar Police is also not having any specific input about his current location,” the IG added.

“If we found him, our first priority would be to present him before the High Court. If he is in any trouble, as claimed by his lawyer, we will definitely help him,” the officer said.

The Gujarat High Court had in a early morning hearing directed the state government to find Hardik Patel, the face of Patel quota stir in Gujarat, after an aide moved a habeas corpus petition alleging that he had been illegally detained by police.

However, police had maintained that he was not detained by them.

Hardik had yesterday organised a public meeting in Bayad taluka of Aravali district allegedly without prior permission. After the meeting, police tried to detain him but according to IG Hasmukh Patel, he managed to evade them.

Police later registered an FIR against Hardik and 20 others for violating prohibitory orders.

Hardik is leading an agitation for inclusion of Patel community in OBC category for reservation.

(Agencies)

Mobile Internet services banned in Gujarat after Hardik Patel’s detention

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Ahmedabad: In a bid to curb spread, of rumours after detention, of Patel community leader Hardik, the Gujarat administration today banned mobile Internet services across the state.

“We have decided to ban mobile Internet service in the state to tackle the law and order situation and to curb the rumours across Gujarat for an indefinite period,” Director General of Police PC Thakur told media persons.

Hardik, who has been agitating to get reservation under OBC quota for his community, was today detained by the Surat city police ahead of his Ekta Rally.

According to a notification issued by Ahmedabad city Police Commissioner Shivanand Jha, mobile Internet services have been banned from this afternoon to 12 PM on September 20.

Jha in the notification said the action has been taken to curb rumours after Hardik’s detention and to control the law and order situation.

Soon after the 22 year-old leader’s detention, Surat district collector issued notification putting ban on mobile Internet services for 24 hours.

In Rajkot also, mobile Internet services have been prohibited for a week, said District Collector Manisha Chandra.

Gujarat had witnessed violence after Hardik’s detention on August 25, in which ten people were killed in the state and property of crores was damaged as well.

Then too, the state administration had banned mobile Internet services for around a week to prevent rumours.

(Agencies)

Hardik Patel is Gujarat hero, says Shiv Sena

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Mumbai: The mass appeal of Hardik Patel in Gujarat “does not augur well for the BJP”, the Shiv Sena said on Friday, calling him “a hero” who had punctured claims that Gujarat was a peaceful state.

“Until now, (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi was considered the only political ‘neta’ who could pull crowds,” a hard-hitting editorial in the party’s mouthpiece “Saamana” said.

“Now, Hardik Patel has become the ‘king of crowds’ which does not augur well for the BJP,” the Sena said, referring to the Patel community leader who has taken on the Gujarat government over job reservations.

“Hardik Patel is a hero of Gujarat… His rallies attract four-five lakh people… With his super-mammoth rally in Ahmedabad last Tuesday, he has thrown the gauntlet at the state government,” the Sena said.

Until now, Modi used the name of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, now this had been usurped by Hardik Patel, it said sarcastically.

“The state government committed the misadventure of detaining Hardik Patel after Tuesday’s rally and it paid for the blunder… Violence erupted all over the state, even ministers had to bear the brunt of Patidars’ ire,” the Sena said.

Now, Hardik Patel has threatened that if the Patidars were also not given job reservations, “then the lotus (BJP party symbol) will not bloom in 2017”.

“The manner in which the Gujarat youths have responded has created waves in Gujarat political circles,” the editorial said.

It thumbed a nose at Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel, who had invited Maharashtra businesses to her state, saying Gujarat was “peaceful, stable and well-administered”.

“Now, what?” the Sena asked. “A person who has yet to grow a moustache has proved her claims as bogus… and revealed the true face of Gujarat,” it said about the young Hardik Patel.

The Shiv Sena, an ally of the Bharatiya Janata Party in the centre and in Maharashtra, urged Gujarat politicians to refrain from stoking political fires in the state “as it would be sheer stupidity”.

But the Sena questioned the legitimacy of the Patidars’ demands for inclusion in the Other Backward Class (OBC) category, saying the Patels enjoyed the same social-political status in Gujarat as ‘Marathas’ in Maharashtra.

The Patels were in the forefront in various sectors like diamonds, realty and big business and also formed a huge chunk of the Gujarat NRIs, trading and commerce, it said.

“They are leading in politics with Chief Minister Anandiben Patel hailing from the community; earlier, Chimanbhai Patel, Keshubhai Patel and Babubhai Patel ruled the state…

“Yet the community wants to become ‘backward’ and takes to the streets.”

The ‘Marathas’ were also powerful similarly in Maharashtra and making various demands but they never resorted to violence or rioting which can’t be condoned at any cost, the Sena said.

(IANS)

Patel quota row: Gujarat tense as death toll rises to nine

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Ahmedabad: The death toll in the violence across Gujarat has risen to nine on Thursday, as the Patel community continues its agitation demanding OBC status and reservation benefits.

The violence was triggered on Tuesday night by the brief arrest of Hardik Patel, the 22-year-old leader of the agitation. Mr. Patel called for a State bandh on Tuesday, a day of violence which saw protesters torching 100 buses and vandalising property. Six persons were killed in police firing and two in the rioting. One succumbed to injuries on Thursday.

The Army, which was called in on Wednesday to control the situation, staged flag marches in Ahmedabad and Surat on Thursday. About 113 companies of paramilitary forces have also been deployed in affected areas.

Schools and colleges in the State will remain shut today too. Mobile internet services, which was on the blink yesterday, will remain suspended today.

More than 50 trains have been cancelled or diverted as mobs damaged tracks at several places.

(Agencies)

Modi appeals for calm in violence-hit Gujarat

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New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today appealed for calm in Gujarat which has been witnessing violence since last night and invoked Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel to emphasise that violence benefits nobody.

He underlined that the government is committed to the welfare of all people and that all issues can be resolved peacefully through discussions.

“I appeal to all brothers and sisters of Gujarat that they should not resort to violence. The only ‘Mantra’ must be ‘Shanti’ (peace),” he said in a statement against the backdrop of violence in his home state after a Patel leader was arrested briefly last night.

While issuing the appeal in Gujarati on television, Modi said, “Gujarat is a land of Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel.”

Asking everybody in the state to make effort to take Gujarat to new heights of development, the former Chief Minister said, “Violence has never done good for anyone. All issues can be resolved peacefully through talks.”

He said it is only through development and by working together that people, especially the poor, can be served.

“Once again, I appeal to the people of Gujarat to maintain peace. Violence will never achieve anything… Everybody should respect democratic values,” he said.

Curfew has been clamped in parts of Ahmedabad, Surat and Mehsana districts and security stepped up in the wake of violence and state-wide bandh called by agitation leader Hardik Patel for today.

An uneasy calm prevailed in the state with RAF, BSF and SRP forces deployed along with police to ensure that no untoward incident takes place.

Members of Patel community indulged in arson and stone pelting and vandalised public property last night after the detention of Hardik, who is spearheading the agitation for inclusion of Patel community in OBC category for reservation.

More than 50 incidents of violence were reported from Ahmedabad city where buses, police posts and private vehicles were set on fire while police personnel were also attacked at some places.

(Agencies)

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