leader of the Patel agitation in Gujarat, Hardik Patel, has announced to expand his movement across the country and this time the focus will be to fight for the right of Gujjars in Delhi, NCR. Hardik would begin his agitation at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan where he would demand for return of Gujjars’ land which have been acquired for various purposes by different agencies.
“When we came to Delhi, we learnt that our brothers’ lands had been acquired at meagre amounts and now huge structures have come over there. We have to fight a battle for our Gujjar brothers. Whatever land that is available and where no work is happening should be given back to our Gujjar brothers,” Hardik said. He, however, did not announce the rally dates.
Patel said important structures like the Rashtrapati Bhavan, Akshardham and Parliament have been built on the land acquired from the Gujjar and Kurmi community leaders. Sending a word of caution to the BJP, he said, “In Gujarat we saw that if anyone that has helped make a Prime Minister then it is us, so we should not be harmed”.
Patel is already at loggerheads with the BJP-led Government in his home State by leading an agitation demanding reservation for Patels. He insisted that he did not want to give any political shape to the newly-formed organisation but added that a decision on this will be taken at an appropriate time.
Patel said his Akhil Bhartiya Patel Navnirman Sena (ABPNS), an umbrella organisation of Patels, Kurmis and Gujjars, will work for the rights of its communities in different parts of the country. “It is a non-political entity where social issues will be discussed. Its job will be to protect the people of Patel, Kurmi and Gujjar community, farmers, workers and women.
“We have spread our organisation in Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Chhattisgarh. We should built such a strong organisation that whenever the Patel Navnirman Sena make a call, the country must come to a standstill. There should be one voice of the Patels, Marathas, Kurmis, Gujjars,” he said.