PAAS members create ruckus outside OBC panel office, detained

Around 31 members of Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS), spearheading the cause for OBC quota, were detained for allegedly creating ruckus outside office of State OBC Commission in Gandhinagar today, where they had gathered to submit an application seeking OBC status for Patels.
More than 50 PAAS members assembled outside the office in sector 19 and tried to enter inside without prior approval from commission head Justice (retired) Sugnyaben Bhatt who directed police to send only five members to make their representation.
Hardik Patel-led PAAS had yesterday announced that they will submit an application to the panel for granting them Other Backward Class status without conducting any survey.

"First, these PAAS members violated a notification issued by the Collector banning assembly of more than four persons anywhere in state capital. Despite the ban, around 50 PAAS members gathered outside the OBC Commission office. However, we have not taken any action immediately," said Gandhinagar crime branch inspector AK Parmar.
He said that despite Bhatt's instruction to let only five persons in, some members of PAAS started arguing with police and insisted that seven of them be allowed to meet Bhatt.
"However, the (commission) chairperson denied permission for additional two members," said Parmar.

When police conveyed Bhatt's instructions, the PAAS members, led by their conveners Dinesh Bambhaniya and Lalit Vasoya, and sitting MLA Nalin Kotadiya allegedly resorted to ruckus and threatened to head towards secretariat.

"Despite our instructions, PAAS members insisted to go inside the office. When we stopped them, they threatened to go to Sachivalaya to meet the Chief Minister on this issue. To stop them from creating more trouble, we detained 31 persons, including Bambhaniya, Kotadiya and Vasoya. We will release them later," the police officer said.
Meanwhile, Hardik Patel, currently based in Udaipur, has accused the Gujarat Government of trying to suppress the voice of Patel community.
"This government is trying to muzzle our voice. Though our members were not involved in any violence, they have been detained by police. Why we are stopped from making our representation?...It shows that government is trying hard to see that Patels do not get reservation," Hardik stated in a media statement.