Hardik Patel has started a state-wide drive to seek support of legislators belonging to Patel community for reservation in jobs and Colleges.
Hardik Patel, leader of the Patel quota agitation in Gujarat, was stopped by the Police from meeting a local legislator in Ahmedabad today, after his organisation, the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS), had earlier announced that they launch a drive to know whether Patel legislators in the state support their quota agitation or not.
When Hardik and seven other PAAS members went to meet Vallabh Kakadia in his Bapunagar office, they were not even allowed to get down from their car, and were asked to leave the place without meeting the Patel legislator.
"We want every Patel MLA to make his stand clear about our demand to give reservation benefit to our community under OBC quota. When we reached Kakadia's office in Bapunagar, a huge number of police and paramilitary forces were already deployed," Hardik told a press conference later.
The 22-year-old leader raised the issue of Shwetang Patel's death, allegedly in police custody on August 25.
Hardik said, "If Kakadia claims that he is with the community, then why didn't he utter a single word during the assembly session about the custodial death of Shwetang Patel in his constituency. Since he refused to meet us, it is clear that he is not with his community."
Continuing their state-wide drive to seek support of legislators belonging to Patel community, Hardik had announced that he would soon meet BJP legislator from Maninagar seat in the city, Suresh Patel.
"We will meet Suresh Patel tomorrow and try to give him a rose as part of our exercise to know his stand. It would be better on his part if he gives us time. Otherwise, the community will take an appropriate decision," Hardik said.