Split in the pro-quota outfit Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) surfaced as a complaint of loot and dacoity lodged with a Patan police station in north Gujarat against the top PAAS leader Hardik Patel and 10 others by his own close aide Narendra Patel.
According to police, Narendra Patel, who is PAAS convenor for Mehsana district, had in his complaint alleged that Hardik and his supporters abused him and his associate Dilip Savaliya and snatched a gold coin and broke his mobile following heated arguments over some issue. After the incident, Hardik’s close aide Dinesh Bambhania threatened both the office-bears of Mehsana unit of PAAS with dire consequences.
On the basis of the complaint of Narendra Patel, the police booked a complaint against Hardik, his associate Dinesh Bhambaniya, Sunil, Brijesh and Mahesh Patel as accused and four other unknown persons under Sections 395, 427, 504, 506(2) of IPC for dacoity, dishonest or fraudulent removal or concealment of property, intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace and criminal intimidation.
When contacted, Hardik feigned complete ignorance about the incident stating that he had left immediately after completion of his rally in Patan.
It is at this rally that he had indirectly asked people of his community to give Congress a chance in the upcoming assembly polls in the state. He had also joined hands with the other big Patel faction Sardar Patel Group leader lalji Patel, with whom he has had sweet-sour relationship since beginning of the movement couple of years ago. Post rally, Gujarat deputy chief minister Nitin Patel called Hardik an agent of Congress. Incidentally, Nitin was again welcomed with a group of women with rolling pins and protest banners when he was on visit to Patan on Monday.