Hardik’s PAAS seems to be heading towards another revolt

Ahmedabad: Hardik Patel led Patidar Ananmat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) seems to be heading towards another ‘revolt’ as two of its prominent leaders Reshma Patel and Atul Patel today expressed their open dissent against the reported setting up of a three member committee of the outfit to hold discussions with various political parties and the alleged arbitrary behaviour of some of the conveners.

They have also demanded immediate dissolution of the core committee to constitute a new one with ‘consensus’.

In an open letter issued to the media Reshma, the women convener of PAAS for Saurashtra and Atul Patel, currently with no post in the outfit, has said that the Patidar community won’t accept the three member committee of Dinesh Bambhaniya, Varun Patel and Majoj Panara.

‘I request Hardikbahi to dissolve this committee and also the existing core committee (constituted during Hardik’s exile to Udaipur as per his bail condition in sedition cases) to set up new core committee with broader consensus in which women and the conveners in whom the community has faith should be given a place,’ the open letter of Reshma read.

She has asked Hardik to call a meeting immediately for the dissolution of the existing one and setting up of new core committee.

‘The agitation was of the community and it was not limited to the three persons (of the above mentioned 3 member committee),’ She has written adding that she also wishes to let the political parties know that the three member committee has no support of the community so it would be meaningless and wastage of time to hold discussions with them.

Atul Patel, who along with Reshma had been quite vocal during Hardik;s 9 month incarceration in sedition cases and during his 6 month exile as per bail condition, also expressed his dissent.

He said that the agitation has become ‘cold’ owing to some people trying to hijack it. ‘If good people are sidelined then the agitation can’t keep going the way it should be,’ Atul said. He, however, said that Hardik might not be aware of the making of the committee and the arbitrary like behaviour being adopted by some of the current conveners.

Earlier many of the former close aides of Hardik including Chirag and Ketan Patel, who had even been jailed as co-accused with him in sedition case, had parted ways from him and the outfit last year alleging that he and some of his close-ones were misusing funds collected for the quota stir of the community to lead luxurious life.

DeshGujarat