BJP Min alleges Kamat equated Patel community with 'flies'

Gujarat minister Nitin Patel today claimed that senior Congress leader Gurudas Kamat had equated Patel community with "flies", a charge denied by the Maharashtra leader.
Quota agitation body Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) has demanded an apology from the Congress leader, failing which they would launch state-wide protests.
Kamat is in charge of the party affairs in the BJP-ruled state.
Patel, senior minister and Gujarat Government spokesperson, made the claim in a tweet.
"On Monday, Kamat compared Patels with flies while addressing party workers. He told them that just like jaggery is used in attracting flies, Congress can lure Patels using same tactic. I condemn such statement by Kamat, as he compared Patels with flies," Patel tweeted.

"Such shocking statement by a Congress leaders shows their low level mentality. Patel community needs to understand that Congress is only trying to use Patels to acquire power. I request Patel community to come forward in condemning this statement by Kamat," he added in the tweet.

Kamat, who was here to attend a two-day executive committee meet, stoutly refuted Nitin Patel's claims.
"BJP has already lost the support of Patels. Now, they are putting words in our mouth. Yesterday, I only listened to party workers, not addressed them once. I only spoke today in the meet. I can not even think of making such statement," Kamat told reporters.

"If Nitin Patel thinks that BJP will get the support of Patels by tweeting such baseless statement, which I never made, then I must say that BJP is only day dreaming" he added.
Reacting to the purported comment, PAAS leader Chirag Patel asked Kamat to apologies within 48 hours.
"Such statement proves that Congress is seeing Patels as vote-bank only. Instead of supporting us, Congress leader is comparing Patels with flies. Kamat should be ashamed of it. If he does not apologies within 48 hours, we will stage protests across the state and burn his effigy" said Chirag, who is a close aide of quota stir leader Hardik Patel.