File photo of the 22-year-old Hardik Patel.
Surat:
Hardik Patel on Saturday postponed the 'reverse Dandi Yatra' till September 13 after the Gujarat government denied him the permission for the march.
The march for the Patel quota issue was scheduled to be taken out today.
Mr Patel, however, warned that he would go ahead with the protest programme if the government fails to grant permission to the rally by next Sunday.
"We have decided to postpone our Dandi yatra from its scheduled date of September 6 to September 13 as the scared government did not give us permission. But we see this as their defeat and our triumph," Mr Patel said.
Navsari District Collector Remya Mohan Muthadath earlier on Saturday denied permission to hold the march and also deployed security personnel and paramilitary forces to deal with the situation.
"As of now, we have followed all the laws, but if they will again deny permission to us, we will not follow the laws. The Dandi yatra will take place on September 13 whether or not they give us permission," Mr Patel said.
"If violence will take place or if law and order will be breached, then the state government and the police will be responsible for that," he added.
Mr Patel's close aide, Chirag Patel said state authorities have imposed section 144 of CrPC to restrain the huge influx of Patels, as they have fear seeing the unity of the community.
Mr Patel has been in the national limelight after his aggressive speech at August 25 mega rally of Patels at GMDC ground.
His detention had set off massive violence, claiming 10 lives and imposition of curfew in many parts of the state.
The Dandi March led by Mahatma Gandhi in 1930 was an important part of the Independence movement and Mr Patel's move to choose that location for strengthening his agitation is viewed as a message to various stakeholders.