Patidars to fight for withdrawal of police cases

Ahmedabad, May 1 (IANS) Gujarat Patidar leader Hardik Patel on Wednesday announced that various community organisations and the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) have joined hands to pressurise the state government to withdraw police cases against youngsters during the three-year-old Patidar agitation.

Speaking to the media after a meeting of various Patidar organisations in Rajkot, Hardik Patel said it was decided to constitute a joint committee to work out a strategy for the release of PAAS leader Alpesh Kathiria, arrested on charges of sedition.

He clarified that "the Patidar agitation has not been folded up but will continue to fight for withdrawal of false police cases against our youngsters as well as for the release of Kathiria".

Replying to a question if the PAAS had been dissolved, Patel said: "The agitation has only softened up after we successfully forced the Central government to announce 10 per cent reservations for the unreserved higher castes, including the Patidars. It is not right to continue an agitation for reservation when this has been achieved. And implementation of this reservation has not started since the issue is pending with the Supreme Court."

However, he clarified that now the purpose of PAAS was to get the government withdraw false cases against Patidar youngsters. "There are 32 cases against me also," he pointed out.

The Rajkot meeting decided to constitute a committee comprising representatives of the Khodaldham and Umiyadham community organisations as well as the PAAS.