Hardik Patel detained with supporters in Surat

Surat/Navsari

   Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) leader Hardik Patel was detained by police along with over 30 of his supporter near Mangadh Chowk in Surat city this morning while he was trying to take out his disputed Ekta Yatra (Unity March) without official permission.

    Another rally lead by Surat co-convener of PAAS Nikhil Savani was taken out from Hirabagh locality of Surat to protest the detentions.But he was also later detained by the police.

    On the other hand the OBC Ekta Manch which had announced to take out a protest march from 90 villages around Dandi against PAAS programme postponed its Pratikar rally in the wake of Hardik’s detention.

      Earlier the Navsari district administration last night had refused permission to both the marches. Hardik’s attempts to take out a reverse Dandi March, a 350 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 a salt law of the then British regime) with 78 of his followers were also foiled twice on September 6 and 13 earlier. He had sought permission to take out the Ekta yatra form Dandi.

     Surat Commissioner of Police Rakesh Asthana said that Hardik along with 35 of his supporters was detained. ‘The PAAS leader has not been arrested but only detained to maintain the law and order situation,’ he said.

     It is learnt that if the situation remained peaceful then the detained PAAS leaders along with his supporters would be released from the police headquarters in Surat, where they have been kept, after some time but the police would keep a close watch over his activities.

      Meanwhile, PAAS sources said that those detained with Hardik include outfits Surat convener Alpesh Kathiria and Hardik’s close aides Chirag Patel and Dinesh Patel.

    Earlier in a dramatic turn of events the outfit leader, who had claimed last night that he would start the march despite denial of permission and there might be a ‘twist’ in it, kept people and media guessing about the changed venue till last minute. Hardik had given a call to his outfit activists and other supporters to assemble as Kamrej Chowkdi in Surat at 0500 hrs today but when no one turned up there amid heavy police presence everyone was intrigued. In a last minute change the PAAS leader attempted to take out his rally from Mangadh chowk in Varachha area of the city. But he was nabbed soon after garlanding the Sardar Patel statue there.

    On the other hand OBC Ekta Manch convener Alpesh Thakor said that they put off their protest march as their aim to halt the PAAS programme has succeeded. ‘ We would have shown black flags if the PAAS’ march would have come out. Not that they have been detained and their bid foiled there is no point in organising a protest march.’ Thakor said.

       Navsari collector Ms. Remya Mohan had also refused permission to the Pratikar Yatra or Protest March of the 90 villages around Dandi supported by the OBC Ekta Manch leader against the PAAS programme. They had also, however, claimed to take it out if PAAS attempted to carry on with their unity march.

    The attempt to take out a rally from Surat instead of earlier claimed Dandi is however being seen as a face saving attempt of Hardik Patel who had to back track twice.

    Earlier Hardik had announced on September 1 to take out the reverse Dandi march on September 6. His attempt to take it out on September 13 also could not materialize owing to offer of talks from the CM which took place on September 14 after which he sort of renamed his reverse Dandi March as Ekta yatra and claimed to take it out on September 19.

         PAAS and its leaders are demanding other backward classes (OBC) status for the politically dominant Patel or Patidar community in Gujarat for reservation benefits. It had orgainsed over one hundred rallies including some massive ones to press for their demands in July and August this year. The state had also seen wide spread violence that claimed 10 lives after its eruption in the night of August 25 following the detention of Hardik and his associates in Ahmedabad. Over 200 vehicles, several police posts and offices were also burnt down during the violence.

   Meanwhile tight security arrangement has been made in and around Surat city in the wake of the detentions.

    PAAS has given a call of road blockade all over the state to protest the detention. Hardik on the other hand has appealed the people to maintain peace.