Surat

Prohibitory orders under section 144 of the CRPC has been put in place with deployment of paramilitary forces in Navsari following the denial of the official permission to the much hyped ‘reverse Dandi March’, an over 300 km long proposed on foot journey from Dandi to Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad (just opposite to the course that Mahatma Gandhi undertook 85 years ago to challenge the salt law of British regime) by Hardik Patel, the convener of Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) slated to begin tomorrow, official sources said today.

In a now on – now off sort of stance Hardik on the other hand has said that he would proceed on the march from Dandi in Navsari district with 78 of his activists in non-violent and complete Gandhian way at 6 am tomorrow. Earlier he had said that if the permission was denied he won’t take up the journey.

But it is learnt that he was still in two minds.

Navsari district collector Remya Mohan today said that looking at the law and order concerns the permission to the march has been denied. ‘ We have also denied permission to the protest march (Pratikar Rally) of the villagers of neighbouring 33 villages who are opposing the reverse Dandi March claiming its participants to be against the Gandhian Ideology.

Navsari SP M S Bharada said that in the wake of the situation prohibitory orders have been pronounced. ‘ More than 1000 police personnel and two companies of para military forces including the jawans of Rapid Action Force have been deployed to take care of any eventuality. We have also appealed the people to maintain peace,’ he said.

Additional companies of state reserve police (SRP) and paramilitary has also been deployed in neighbouring Surat through which falls on the route of the march.

PAAS and its leaders are demanding other backward classes (OBC) status for the politically dominant Patel or Patidar community in Gujarat for reservation benefits. The whole state had submerged in violence that claimed 10 lives in the night of August 25 following the detention of Hardik, a 22 year old leader of the community. Over 200 vehicles, several police posts and offices were also burnt down during the violence.

– DeshGujarat

PTI report on same: Gujarat government today denied permission to Hardik Patel’s “reverse Dandi march” over the Patel quota issue, less than a fortnight after violence erupted during his stir claiming 10 lives, but the defiant leader vowed to carry out the protest programme tomorrow.

Navsari District Collector today refused to grant permission to Hardik Patel-led Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) to take out the march from Dandi to Ahmedabad to press for their demand for inclusion of the Patel community in OBC category for reservation.

“We have rejected the petition seeking permission to take out the Dandi yatra,” Navsari district Collector Remya Mohan Muthadath told PTI.

She said proper security arrangements have been made to deal with any situation if members of the Patel community take out the march tomorrow.

“Proper security arrangements have been made and we have also deployed paramilitary forces,” Muthadath said.

However, Hardik Patel said they will commence the march from Dandi village of Navsari district to Ahmedabad at 6 AM tomorrow.

“Along with 78 members, I will begin the march from Dandi tomorrow. Around five lakh people will join us when the march reaches Surat,” he said.

He claimed that around 15 lakh people from the Patel community will join the reverse march when it will reach Ahmedabad.

Hardik said Patel leaders in villages en route to this march are given the task of strengthening the organisation over the issue. “Entire India will have a close watch over the reverse Dandi march,” he said.

The 22-year-old Hardik has been hogging the national limelight after his aggressive speech at August 25 mega-rally of Patels at GMDC ground here. His detention had set off massive violence, claiming 10 lives and imposition of curfew in many parts of the state.

The Dandi March led by Mahatma Gandhi in 1930 was an important part of the Independence movement and Hardik’s move to choose that location for strengthening his agitation is viewed as a message to various stake-holders.