The Patidar quota campaign leader Hardik Patel dubbed the Prime Minister a ‘cheat’ and the Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev a ‘hardcore businessman’ on Tuesday. Restrictions being imposed on his movement with sedition charges tagged to him, Patel has recently shifted his base to Haridwar to spend the remaining two months of his six- month exile at Swami Deeptanand Ashram in Bhupatwala. After returning from Haridwar, the leader intends to restart his quota movement that shot him into the national limelight earlier this year.
Holding Modi responsible for the post-Godhra genocide in 2002,Patel said he used it up to the hilt to win elections in Gujarat. “later, he became the Prime Minister, using the same politically,” he said.
Speaking to The Pioneer, the 23- year- old leader said, “When the Patidars, convicted of riots, are languishing in jails Modi is busy mesmerizing the people through conjuring up gimmicks, one after another. He has done nothing to help the imprisoned Patidars.”
He further said that while the former Gujarat CM Anandi Ben was the protégé of Narendra Modi the present CM is the same of BJP leader Amit Shah. “The duo is running the show through puppets,” he alleged.
“Come what may, jail or exile, I would continue to fight for Patidars being given reservation under OBC category,” he said.Taking a dig at Modi for unleashing hardships on the farmers across the country through the money recall move, Patel said he was preparing to start a movement in the interests of the suffering farmers. “Things would start once I return from Haridwar,” he said.
He tore into the Centre on the sluggish execution of the Namami Gange project, dubbing it as a “mere eyewash”. “Despite two and half years having passed since the scheme was launched, nothing substantial has come about to clean the Ganga. Things are the same, the drains still falling directly in Ganga,” he said.
Asked whether he would plunge into politics in the coming days, he said, “ I would reflect much before taking the plunge.” launching a broadside at Baba Ramdev, Patel said he ceased to have any desire to meet him now. “He has morphed himself into a hardcore businessman, out to expand his empire,” he said.