Hardik declares his will as fast enters ninth day

Gujarats Patidar agitation leader Hardik Patel, whose fast entered the ninth day on Sunday, declared his will if he breathed his last, even as he sent back a government medical team in protest against the police baton charge on his supporters who came calling during the day.

Tens and scores of his supporters are being detained across the state almost on a daily basis to prevent them from coming to Ahmedabad to express solidarity with the fasting youth leader whose weight and haemoglobin levels are falling.

On Sunday, a posse of police force posted outside his home, where he is fasting, prevented scores of supporters from meeting him by raining batons on them.

The supporters were seen going helter and skelter as the police batons hit them. Registering his strong protest over this, Patel sent back a government medical team which came to examine him, like everyday.

The 25-year-old Patel leader, on August 24 evening, had given up drinking water though his health appeared deteriorating till a religious leader of the Patidar community got him to at least consume water.

The Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) leader is on fast to press for his demand for reservations to the Patidars, loan waiver for farmers and release of his aide Alpesh Kathiria, who is in jail on sedition charges.

He, meanwhile, declared his will and made his parents Bharat Patel and Usha Patel his heirs, besides a gaushala in his native village Chandranagar in Ahmedabad district.

Hardik Patel stated: "I have been fasting against the BJP government since August 25. My body is becoming shrill and suffering from pain, disease, infections and internal injuries. In these circumstances, my soul can depart from this body at any time so I decided to declare my last wish."

Accordingly, Hardik's close associate and Morbi convener Manoj Panara informed reporters that if anything happened to him during this indefinite fast, Rs 30,000 out of his total bank deposits of Rs 50,000 in a private bank will be given to his parents and the remaining money will be donated to the 'Gaushala' near his native village.

Patel has expressed his wish to distribute 30 per cent income of his yet-to-be published book, 'Who Took My Job', to his parents and sister and 70 per cent to the families of 14 Patidar youths who had lost their lives allegedly in police firing during violence in quota agitation in August 2015.

His last desire is to donate his eyes after his death.

Several political leaders have been meeting Patel. On Sunday, former Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Majhi, Gujarat Congress president Amit Chavda and Gujarat NCP legislator Jayant Bosky, were among those who called on the quota leader.

--IANS

desai/pgh/