Hardik Patel Announces Fresh Agitation For Reservation From Surat
AHMEDABAD: The Patel community has decided to launch a fresh round of agitation for reservation from today amid claims of support from various other sections of the society.
Hardik Patel, who is leading the agitation that plunged Gujarat into violence last week, made the announcement on Monday on his return from Delhi.
“We will start the agitation from Surat tomorrow. We will focus more on taluka and village level this time,” Mr Patel told reporters in Ahmedabad, adding rallies will also be organised in various other parts of the country.The second round of agitation will attract the attention of the entire nation, he claimed.
“We will make the official announcement tomorrow about our upcoming programmes and rallies to be held in the state. This time, the entire nation will have its eyes on our programme. We will walk on the path shown by Mahatma Gandhi,” Mr Patel said.
During the first round of agitation, a mega rally was held in Ahmedabad on August 25 after which violence erupted in which 10 people were killed.
Giving details of his Delhi visit, Mr Patel said many organisations have extended their support to the ongoing agitation.He showed letters of various organisations who have extended their support. These include Gujjar Vikas Parishad, Kurmi-Kshatriya Mahasabha, Anjana-Chaudhari Samaj, Rashtriya Gujjar Manch etc.
“We are now getting support from entire India. Gujjars, Kurmis, Chaudharis and many others are with us. Our movement will further spread in other parts. In coming days, we have planned to hold a rally at Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh,” he said.
According to him, the total population of Patels, Gujjars and Kurmis in the country is 27 crore.
“We have also planned to take signatures of all 27 crore of our members on an application demanding reservation and hand it over to the Prime Minister,” he said.
Mr Patel also lashed out at the Gujarat police as well as the government for the violence in the state after the crackdown on Patel leaders, hours after the mega rally at GMDC ground on August 25.
“No such incident took place in all the 37 rallies we organised ahead of August 25. I hold police as well as this Gujarat government responsible for inciting violence.
Otherwise, we always walked on the path shown by Gandhiji,” he said.
