More on Patel rap

Gandhinagar, Correspondent

Sardar Patel Group (SPG) today alleged that oppostion Congress was playing politics to keep the patidar quota stir somehow going and was even trying to divide the community for political gains in the 2017 assembly elections in Gujarat.

SPG spokesperson and general secretary Purvin Patel said that Congress was trying to pull on the Patidar stir even at the cost of the interest of the communty with political gain in mind.

He claimed to expose the Congress backed ‘betrayers’ of the community in the upcoming executive committee meeting of the outfit in Mahesana district on March 4. “We will expose those betrayers who are backed by congress and were taking the agitation on a wrong path,’ he said.

Talking over phone from Mahesana, SPG supremo Lalji Patel, who has tendered resignation from his post following his ‘insult’ during a recent women’s conference in Mahesana organized by Patidar Anamat Aandolan Samiti (PAAS), also alleged that Congress was playing politics to divide the community.

To a query he also said that the earlier venue of the March 4 meeting at Amba temple in Balol in Mahesana district has been changed. While Purvin said that the venue would be finalized by tomorrow, Lalji Patel said that it is almost final that the new veneu would be in Umavadi of Fatepura on Unjha road at some distance from Mahesana.

The SPG spokesperson earlier said that a core committee meeting and a general meeting will also be held the same day.

To a query he said that the core committee has already decided to reject the resignation of Laljibhai tendered by him after the unfortunate incident of February 28. ‘We will meet again on Friday and annouce it formally. We have no one to replace him, a man devoted to the uplift of the community for past 17 years. We put community before us that is why on that day also Laljibhai went to Mahesana meeting and sat among public. Some little known people with an intention to draw publicity insulted him, he said.

A high voltage drama was witnessed during the Patidar Mahila Sashaktikaran Mahasammelan (Patidar women’s empowerment conference) in Mahesana as Lalji Patel was heckled by a section of Patidar Anamat Aandolan Samiti (PAAS) activists and was not even allowed to sit on the stage. SPG leader had left the venue and announced to resign from his post.

PAAS conveners from S Gujarat, Saurashra meet Hardik, issue 10 days ultimatum

Surat, Correspondent

Around 10 converners of Patidar Ananamat Aandolan Samiti (PAAS) from South Gujarat and Saurashtra today met their leader Hardik Patel in Lajpore central jail here and later issued a 10 days ultimatum to the state goverment to act on the 27 issues earlier worked out during the twice held meet between Hardik and goverment backed mediator cum BJP MP from Porbander Vitthal Radadiya.

After around an hour and a half long meeting, PAAS leader Lalit Vasoya told newsmen that they now give a 10 days ultimatum to the goverment to act on the issues.

‘It the issues including the release of the jailed leaders were not acted upon within the stipulated time, we would intensify our agitaion in non-violent Gandhian way. We will also take out the ‘Asthi kalash yatra of 10 Patidars killed during the agitaion from Rajpipla to Karmsad, the birth place of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel,’ he said.

Another PAAS convener Dharmik Malviya also said that there should be concrete action on the issues.

Mr. Radadiya had ealier met Hardik, who is in jail in connection with a sedition case since October last year, twice at the said behest of the Chief Minister. Some of the senior Patidar community leaders including Mahesh Savani also had a meeting with him in the jail yesterday.

– DeshGujarat