Lotus will not bloom, Hardik Patel dares BJP in a public rally in Ahmedabad

Ahmedabad: Patel leader Hardik Patel was arrested on Tuesday from the mega rally of the Patels demanding for inclusion in OBC category for reservation. After violations spread over his detention, Mr Patel was released late on Tuesday night.

The Patel community on Tuesday warned the BJP government in Gujarat that it would face consequences in 2017 Assembly polls, if the plea is not accepted, saying the “lotus” will not bloom again.

22-year-old Hardik Patel, the convener of Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti, which is spearheading the agitation, sounded the threat at the rally even as the stir turned violent with clashes being reported in various parts of the city where police resorted to baton-charge and lobbed teargas shells to control the situation.

After the rally, Mr Patel said he will sit on a hunger strike at the venue until the Chief Minister comes to take a memorandum from them. The numerically and economically strong Patel community of Gujarat converged in large numbers to take part in the rally, which brought the city to a grinding halt.

The ‘Maha Kranti’ rally comes after a month-long agitation by the Patel community for their quota demand. “If you do not give our right (reservation), we will snatch it. Whoever will talk of interest of Patels will rule over Patels,” Mr Hardik told the gathering.

“In 1985, we had uprooted Congress from Gujarat, today there is BJP. 2017 ) is coming...lotus will not bloom in the mud, it will never bloom. If you will talk about our interest then only we will nurture your lotus,” he said.