This Article is From Jul 31, 2016

Gujarat Government To Withdraw 90 Per Cent Cases Related To Patel Agitation

Gujarat Government To Withdraw 90 Per Cent Cases Related To Patel Agitation

Patidar leader Hardik Patel was also among those arrested in connection with the vandalism.

Ahmedabad: The Gujarat government today said it would withdraw 90 per cent police cases lodged against Patidar community members during the state-wide agitation for reservation last year led by their leader Hardik Patel.

A review committee headed by Chief Minister Anandiben Patel met on July 29 to discuss the matter "sympathetically" after leaders from the agitating community made repeated appeals to her to get the cases withdrawn, an official statement said.

"After discussion, Anandiben decided to withdraw around 90 per cent of cases lodged against Patidar community members in connection with the (reservation) agitation," it said.

The government had earlier ordered withdrawal of 155 cases. At a meeting last Friday, the chief minister ordered to withdraw 54 more cases in addition to the 155 cases. She also ordered the state home department to take necessary steps to withdraw an additional 182 cases at the earliest, the statement said. With this, 391, or nearly 90 per cent, out of a total of 438 cases lodged against Patidar community members will be withdrawn.

A mass gathering of the Patel community members on August 25 last year had turned violent.

Patidar leader and convener of Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti Hardik Patel was also among those arrested in connection with the vandalism.

He was recently granted bail by the Gujarat High Court in two sedition cases as well as Visnagar loot and vandalism case and is presently residing in Udaipur as per the bail condition.
 
.