Karamsad agitators end fast after JNNURM assurance from BJP

Three residents of Karamsad in Anand district, who had launched an indefinite fast two days back seeking inclusion of their town in the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), called off the stir today following an assurance from the state BJP.

Karamsad town, which has a population of 40,000, is the native place of country's first Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

Three elderly residents of Karamsad- Bipin Patel, Jagdish Patel and Mahendra Patel- had launched their fast-unto-death on April 30 demanding that their town be included in JNNURM for better infrastructure development.

They withdrew the stir after Gujarat BJP chief Jitu Vaghani gave an assurance to them that the state government would make a representation to the Centre about their demand.

"Jagdishbhai and other agitators accepted my request and ended their fast today. The state unit of BJP as well as our government here would definitely draw the Centre's attention to this issue of granting special status to Karamsad," Vaghani told reporters at the fast venue.

He criticised the Congress saying the opposition party was doing politics over the issue.

In an apparent jibe at quota spearhead Hardik Patel, who had announced that he would visit Karamsad this evening, Vaghani said, "The agitators foiled the plans of those people who wanted to do politics by taking advantage of this movement."