Adamant Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti — PAAS leader Hardik Patel is showing determination to revive pro-quota agitation from Saturday even if the authority would not give permission for a ground in Ahmedabad or Gandhinagar.
Patel announced that in case of no permission he would initiate 13-day fast agitation sitting from his residence situated on the outskirts of Ahmedabad. Over the past couple of months, PAAS is demanding permission for a ground in Ahmedabad, but local authorities Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation and city police have not reacted positively yet. The pro-quota outfit has also demanded a ground in the State capital Gandhinagar but there according to PAAS leader there wasn’t any response from respective authorities.
Patel and his organisation PAAS is demanding reservation for Patidar community in government jobs and educational institutions over the past three years. Hardik and other PAAS activists have planned to revive the agitation with the same demand from August 25 - third anniversary of mega rally at GMDC ground in Ahmedabad that established Hardik as Patidar leader. Apparently Hardik is again becoming active in view of 2019 lok Sabha polls.
Talking to reporters, PAAS leader Dharmik Malaviya said that nobody could stop Hardik from fasting in his own residence. On the other hand the 25-year-old PAAS leader Hardik Patel said that in order to stop him from initiating fast agitation, he would be arrested before August 25 in one of the cases against him.
Meanwhile a local court sent Alpesh Kathiria, a close aide of Hardik for four day’s police remand on Monday late evening. Fugitive Kathiria was arrested on sedition charges. The police had demanded 14 days remand but after lengthy arguments from the accused’s advocate, the court granted four days remand.