Gujarat bandh call given by the agitating Patidar leaders of Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) and Sardar Patel Group (SPG) — the two organisations demanding reservation for their Patel community under OBC category had lukewarm response as apart from few Patidar dominated areas, almost life was normal in the State on Monday.
Most of the shops and other commercial establishments remained open across the State — including sensitive cities like Ahmedabad, Surat, Rajkot and Mehsana apart from some Patidar dominated areas there. However the State Government has decided to continue ban on internet and mobile services in Ahmedabad, Surat, Rajkot and Mehsana till Tuesday.
As precautionary measure, the State Government-run ST buses were withdrawn in sensitive areas. Overall peace was maintained in the State and curfew was lifted in the North Gujarat town Mehsana where violence created problem on Sunday. Section 144 (power to issue order in urgent cases of nuisance of apprehended danger) of the Code of Criminal Procedure which was imposed in the town on Sunday has also been lifted.
“Five companies of Rapid Action Force (RAF) have been deployed in three cities — Mehsana, Surat and Ahmedabad. In addition, 20 companies of the State Reserve Police (SRP) have also been posted across the State,” said sources in State police control, adding that the police has lodged FIR against SPG convener lalji Patel and 36 others for loot, rioting, arson, defying orders of police and damaging public property. However there has been no arrest till Monday late evening in this connection.
Countering the SPG convener lalji Patel’s claim that he was injured because police hit him, Mehsana police has clarified that SPG chief was injured not because of police but as per the medical report he sustained injury due to stone pelting. If police would have hit him, injury might have been on front side, but he is injured from back side, said a senior police official.
It is worth mentioning that following the ‘Jail Bharo Andolan’ of agitating Patidars who were demanding immediate release of their jailed leader Hardik Patel turned violent in parts of the State. The administration had to imposed curfew in Mehsana on Sunday to control the situation as some of the agitators marched to police station in Mehsana and a district jail in Surat. Police took nearly 1,000 people into preventive custody to maintain law and order situation in the State.