Hardik Patel booked for sedition

Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) leader Hardik Patel has been booked today in Surat under the charges of sedition over alleged remarks on 'killing cops'.

Earlier this month, Hardik had spoken to a Patel youth who had threatened suicide in a letter to the police if his demands were not met and allegedly told him, "If you have so much in you, kill 2-5 policemen but no Patel will die now."

However, later in the day, Hardik clarified that he meant no harm.

The Gujarat police had yesterday detained Hardik and his aides near the Saurashtra Cricket Association (SCA) stadium, the venue of the third one-day international between India and South Africa, where he had threatened to stage a protest.

Following his detention, Patidar members torched a state transport bus near Morbi town and briefly blocked some highways at several places in Surat, North Gujarat and Rajkot.