The marathon meeting of almost five hours in two phases between leaders of the agitation for reservation benefits to the Patidars and Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel ended without any outcome on Monday night. Patel Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) convener Hardik Patel announced to continue agitation and decided to adhere to stage 'Reverse Dandi March' with a new name 'Ekta Yatra' (Unity March) on Wednesday.
Talking to the reporters after the meeting, Hardik Patel said that Patidars have put their points before the Chief Minister and that they are expecting a solution in the next 10 days. "We will continue our agitation and will hold Ekta Yatra on Wednesday in which large number of Patidars will participate," he said. The main points put before the State Government include punitive action against those cops who had resorted to highhandedness at GMDC Ground after 'Maha Kranti Rally' on August 25, stern action against policemen responsible for custodial death of a Patidar youth, cancelled charges on Patidar youth who have been booked under Section 307, no more arrest of Patidars and medical expenses of the injured Patidar youth during the post Mega rally violence.
Terming the meeting satisfactory, senior Gujarat Minister Nitin Patel said each point presented by the Patidar leaders were listened and discussed in detail.
Earlier, after a high voltage drama for around two hours outside the ministerial enclave in the State capital Gujarat Chief Minister had agreed to meet the Patel leaders, including Hardik Patel on Monday evening.
Hardik Patel of PAAS and lalji Patel of Sardar Patel Group were invited by the CM and the meeting was to start from 4 pm. However, the drama began when both the community leaders reached at Ministerial Enclave with 144 conveners from different parts of the State and insisted the CM to come out of her residence to meet all the conveners.
The CM Secretariat proposed both the leaders to come in a group consisting representatives of SPG and PAAS but it was instantly rejected by both the leaders. In fact Hardik went on a step further and threaten to call off the talks. He also gave threat to resort to his original plan of reverse Dandi March from Dandi in south Gujarat to Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad. The reverse Dandi March was planned on Sunday but after the CM's invitation it was postponed.
Meanwhile, before reaching at Ministerial Enclave, PAAS convener Hardik Patel paid courtesy visit to former Gujarat Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel and took his blessings.