Govt. rejects Hardik’s undertaking

Ahmedabad

The Gujarat government today refused to accept the undertaking given by the Jailed Patidar quota stir leader Hardik Patel in the High Court during the hearing on his appeal against the rejection of his bail pleas in two sedition cases.

On the other hand during the hearing today,bringing the said ‘rift’ between Hardik and three of his former aides and co-accused in the case Chirag, Dinesh and Ketan Patel to fore, Hardik’s counsel Zubin Bharda said in the course of argument that it was not his client who instigated the people to indulge in violence post August 25 pro reservation rally of the Patidar Anamat Aandolan Samiti (PAAS), but the trio who had already got bail in the matter.

The hearing will continue tomorrow.

Hardik in his undertaking yesterday had assured the court that if granted bail he would not do anything by act or speech which incite people or trigger violence, however he maintained that he would participate in the agitation in peaceful manner.

The court is hearing his appeal against the rejection of his regular bail pleas by different local courts of Surat and Ahmedabad in two sedition related cases.

The court of Justice A J Desai today adjourned the hearing till tomorrow.

Hardik’s counsel Zubin Bharda said that in his undertaking his client has said that though the agitation of the Patidar Anamat Aandolan Samiti (PAAS) would continue peacefully in democratic manner, if granted bail he won’t do any thing by act or speech which may incite people or trigger violence. He said that if the three other accused (Dinesh Chirag and Ketan) against whom there was evidence of inciting their supporters for violence, have got bail, why Hardik, who did not do so, should not be granted bail.

Mr Bharda said that though the government had sought time to reply yesterday and today it said that his client’s undertaking was not acceptable to it.

Hardik is facing two cases of sedition. One was lodged in Amroli police station of Surat district in October last year for his alleged on camera suggestion to a supporter to kill policeman rather than committing suicide. He was arrested in the case in October from Rajkot and has been lodged in the Lajpore central jail of Surat since then. Two of his co-accused in the case Chirag Desai and Vipul Desai has got bail.

Another case of sedition was lodged against Hardik and five others (including Chirag, Ketan and Dinesh Patel) by the crime branch of Ahmedabad police for his alleged involvement and plotting of the violence post a pro reservation rally on August 25 here. The three co-accused have got conditional bail from the high court after no objection from the state on their undertaking to not to participate in the agitation.

-DeshGujarat