Correspondent, Gandhinagar

In a renewed effort to find a resolution to the vexed Patidar reservation stir issue, BJP MP from Porbandar Vitthal Radadiya, who had met jailed quota stir leader Hardik Patel twice in Surat jail as government backed negotiator a few weeks ago, today had a meeting with Chief Minister Mrs Anandiben Patel after which he said that he would be meeting the Patidar Anamat Aandolan Samiti (PAAS) convener in the jail soon to expedite the resolution process.

Mr. Radadiya said that he would meet Hardik again in jail in two days.The leader of Sardar Patel Group, another prominent outfit of the community, Lalji Patel would also remain present on the occasion when efforts to chalk out a formula to end the stir would be made.

The BJP MP claimed that the resolution of the issue would come soon. ‘It would come before April 17,’ he said.

Meanwhile, it is understood that the state government has shown positive response to over 20 of the total 27 issues earlier raised by Hardik through Radadiya. The government has however reportedly expressed inability on the point of reservation to the community. It has also expressed willingness to constitute a Savarna Aayog (commission for upper castes) instead of the demand of Patidar Aayog. The government is said to have agreed to take action against the policemen who had allegedly committed atrocities on the agitators albeit only after a proper inquiry. It has also said that it would seek legal opinion for withdrawal of all the cases against agitators paving the way for the release of jailed stir leaders.

The government has responded quite positively to other issues including compensation and educational assistance. It has made it clear that several of the demands were already under the purview of various existing government schemes and for some others, the schemes would be modified if the need be. For some issues the government has cited legal obstructions.

Earlier on March 8, a delegation of Patidar leaders including Radadiya and a prominent leader of a religious trust of the community in Sidsar, Jairam Patel had a similar meeting with the chief minister and BJP president Vijay Rupani. Radadiya had handed over a list of 27 issues agreed upon by Hardik Patel for bringing the vexed agitation issue to an end to the Chief Minister.

– DeshGujarat