Hardik Patel detained by Police in Surat

AHMEDABAD: Surat Police detained the convener of Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti ( PAAS) Hardik Patel with his supporters on Saturday morning as he was embarking on his controversial Ekta Yatra.

Hardik had reached Mangadh Chawk and garlanded the statue of Sardar Patel before starting his yatra when police detained him. He with his supporters have been taken to Police Head quarters in Surat.

Hardik had earlier declared that he would take out this yatra even if he was not given permission for the same by the administration and had reached Surat on Friday evening.

The reverse Dandi March as it was called earlier was postponed twice earlier but After his meeting with the Chief Minister on September 14, Hardik had announced that he would take out Ekta Ytara from South Gujarat to reach Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad on Saturday.

The decision of the 22 year old had come under strong opposition from the OBC community and the convener of OBC Ekta Manch Alpesh Thakore had threatened to take out a counter rally Pratikar Yatra in case Hardik is allowed to proceed with his "Ekta Yatra".

Thakore had also threatened resistance in each and every village that Hardik’s rally would pass through.

Before starting for Surat, Hardik had also left instructions for his supporters to disrupt a meeting of BJP district committee scheduled at Sanand on Saturday. Patel agitators have been disrupting political or government programmes as a part of their protest.