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As the meteoric rise of Hardik Patel dominates the story of the Patidar agitation for OBC reservation, one question that comes to mind is: Who is Hardik Patel?
Here are 5 things to know about the 22-year-old leader:
Young rebel
The charismatic convenor of Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti is 22 years old. A BCom graduate from Sahjanand College in Ahmedabad and an inhabitant of Virangam, Hardik passed with a score below 50 per cent, and went on to help his father in the family’s water-pumping business.
He was a member of the Sardar Patel Group (SPG), and president of its Virgaum unit. Patel is reported to have been ousted from the post and the party due to internal politics. SPG members also lodged an FIR against Patel, according to a report in The Times of India , accusing him of not returning Rs 2 lakh, which he allegedly owed the group.
Mobilising the Patidars
Patidars are an important community in Gujarat, and form a massive portion of BJP’s support base. Hardik Patel believes that the Patidar community is losing out in the development race, thanks to the current reservation laws. After his ouster from SPG, he joined the little-known and newly formed PAAS, making it the platform for a movement to demand reservation for the Patidars in the OBC category.
He says PAAS is not against SC/ST and OBC communities, which are getting their due, but at the same time wants equal chance for the Patels as well, The Times of India reported.
Rallying point
Hardik Patel’s claim to fame came when PAAS successfully orchestrated a rally in Surat in July, and Lalji Patel, leader of SPG who played a key role in his ouster, announced that SPG shared a common purpose with PAAS. The rally saw a massive turnout from the Patidar community and arousing display of rhetoric from Hardik. While PAAS had conducted earlier rallies, this one gave it the much-needed exposure.
Ignition
Even as PAAS launched a state-wide campaign with a slew of bike rallies, dharnas and fasts, a second galvanising moment came on Tuesday night when the police lathicharged after Hardik Patel’s rally in Ahmedabad, and detained the young Patidar leader for an hour. This led to violent protests across the state, declaration of a curfew in certain areas, and suspension of internet services. The PAAS leader followed this up with call for Gujarat Bandh.
Affiliations
Hardik Patel claims PAAS is politically unaffiliated and works only for the betterment of the Patidars. Both the Bharatiya Janata Party and Congress have blamed each other and their supporting parties for allegedly funding and sustaining the movement, covertly.
