Radadia meets Hardik, Kumar Kanani demands reservation for Patidars

Correspondent, Surat

Hinting at the possibility of announcement of a ‘concrete’ compromise formula by the state government in near future to end the vexing Patidar quota stir, BJP MP from Porbander and a prominent Patel farmer leader from Saurashtra region, Vithal Radadiya today met Patidar Anamat Aandolan Samiti (PAAS) convener Hardik Patel in Lajpore central Jail here and claimed to have convinced him at the behest of Chief Minister Mrs. Anandiben Patel to give up his indefinite fast.

Talking to media persons outside the jail after meeting the young PAAS leader who was lodged there in connection with a sedition case since October last year, Radadiya said he had come to meet Hardik at the behest of the Chief Minister.

‘I discussed 35 issues with him and assured of a proper solution through talks,’ he said.

Radadiya, who had sprung a surprise by saying that Patidars in Gujarat should also be given reservation benefits on the lines announced by Haryana government for Jat agitators, also claimed that after meeting him, Hardik has started taking solid food. He was admitted to the new civil hospital earlier following two days of indefinite fast and had started taking liquid on the advice of the doctors.

He claimed that in next four to five days the state government would be able to come out with a solution which would be acceptable to everyone.

Later Hardik, who was being taken to Visnagar in connection with a case, told newsmen that Radadiya was a ‘respectable’ community leader. He said that he was ready to bring a solution in the larger interest of his community.

BJP MLA writes letter to CM advocating reservation for Patidar community

After BJP MP Vitthal Radadiya, party MLA from Surat’s Varachha assembly segment Kishor Kanani today openly advocated in favour of reservation benefits to his own Patel or Patidar community in Gujarat and sent a letter to the Chief Minister Mrs. Anandiben Patel in this regard.

In the letter written on his official letter pad, Mr. Kanani has claimed that around eight month old Patel quota stir can end if the state government also takes the steps on the lines of Rajasthan and Haryana government to give reservation benefits to the agitating Jat community.

He has said that the chief minister’s stance of ‘giving reservation was not possible as per the provisions of the constitution’ should be changed.

‘Looking at the recent nods of the Haryana and Rajashtan governments to the demand of reservation by Jats, it seems that the Gujarat government should also take a decision like the two states so that the long time reservation agitation in the state comes to an end and the vibrant Gujrat can be made even more vibrant,’ the BJP MLA has written in the letter.

He has written the letter on a day when Mr. Radadiya, the BJP MP from Porbandar, today met Patidar Anamat Aandolan Samiti (PAAS) leader Hardik Patel in Lajpore central jail claiming that he had met him at the behest of the Chief Minister.

– DeshGujarat