Don't forget quota stir atrocities, says Hardik Patel

AHMEDABAD: Hardik Patel, the 22-year-old convener of Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS), on Sunday addressed the first public meeting in the city after the massive rally of August 25, 2015 at GMDC ground.

Sunday's meeting, held in Nikol, was organised to felicitate kin of martyred Indian army jawans who had died fighting insurgents. Tributes were also paid to members of the Patidar community who lost their lives during the agitation for reservations.

Hardik reminded his community about the police atrocities that had allegedly taken place during the violence after the GMDC rally . It may be recalled that violence had broken out after Hardik was detained from GMDC ground. Around 14 people of the Patidar community had died in the violence that followed. “If you have forgotten the violence inflicted on our people, the atrocities on our youths and indecent conduct with our sisters, then go and check your DNA. You can be anything but a Patidar,“ Hardik said.

The Patel leader felicitated Munimsingh Bhadoriya, father of Lance Naik Gopalsingh Bhadoriya, who died on February 12 in a gun battle with insurgents in Jammu and Kashmir. Bipin Patel, brother of Shwetang Patel, who was allegedly killed in police custody during the quota agitation, was also felicitated by Hardik. Interesting ly, Hardik also reminded people about the neglect by the community of former Gujarat chief minister Keshubhai Patel.

“When Keshubhai was chief minister, Gujarat's financial debt was merely a few thousand crore rupees but it increased to lakhs of crores in the past 15 years,“ the PAAS convener said. “Is this what Narendrabhai (Modi) calls development? Keshubhai made every effort to complete Kalpsar irrigation scheme but the Modi government in the state failed in its implementation. Yet we did not support Keshu Bapa.“