Ahmedabad, Aug. 25: The 22-year-old leader of the Gujarat forum seeking reservation for the Patels was detained today after violence following his warning that the BJP's "lotus would not bloom again" in the 2017 Assembly polls if the demand wasn't accepted.
Hardik Patel, who has shot to prominence in just over two months and posed holding guns in a video clip, was released in a few hours after protests against the police action, including an attempt by agitators to torch the house of state home minister Rajni Patel.
The police said there was not much damage to the minister's house in Mehsana, 90km from Ahmebadad, in the arson that followed clashes in the state capital and a baton-charge on Hardik's supporters.
He was taken away around 8pm while he was on fast at the venue of a rally where he had issued the warning to the BJP for inclusion of the Patels among OBCs. Hardik had begun the fast to demand acceptance of a memorandum by chief minister Anandiben Patel.
"In 1985, we had uprooted the Congress from Gujarat, today there is BJP. 2017 (the election year) is coming... the lotus will not bloom. If you will talk about our interest, only then will we nurture your lotus," Hardik, the convener of the fledgling Patel Anamat Samiti that is spearheading the agitation, told the rally attended by over three lakh people.
Clashes erupted after the rally when suspected Samiti members tried to enforce a bandh and were resisted by other groups opposed to the call.
Chief minister Anandiben has cited the Supreme Court's 50 per cent cap on quotas and expressed inability to accept the demand.
But Hardik questioned the argument. "If the Supreme Court can open at 3.30 in the morning for a terrorist, why not for the youths, the future of this nation? Why can't the government approach the court with a new formula?" Hardik said, referring to the court's night hearing on the plea to stay Yakub Memon's execution.
The Patels, who account for 20 per cent of Gujarat's population and have been a strong vote bank for the BJP, have been demanding OBC status to get reservations in jobs and in admissions to educational institutions. The movement has spread across the state since last month, unnerving the chief minister ahead of civic and rural polls late this year.
Seven out of 27 ministers, including the chief minister, and 54 MLAs in the House of 282 belong to the influential community, which dominates the diamond and real estate businesses. But not all Patels are wealthy.
Today, Hardik warned the community would "snatch" the quota if it wasn't granted, reminding the government that "we are descendants of Sardar Patel". Hardik was earlier a member of the Sardar Patel Group, a youth organisation, and was president of its unit in nearby Viramgam where the young man hails from.
Until a few months ago, the BCom graduate with less than 50 per cent marks helped his father run their pump business.
Today Hardik is a household name in Gujarat, having shaken the BJP government, united various Patel clans and turned a youth icon.
His tweets in the recent past suggest he is an admirer of Arvind Kejriwal - known for his many street protests. Many former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) members are now in Hardik's team, among them two key spokespersons, Chirag Patel and Ketan Patel.
Hardik is said to have rallied behind a Congress MLA who recently supported a movement against a government plan for a "Special Investment Region" adjoining a Maruti plant.
An old photo of Hardik with VHP leader Pravin Togadia, himself a Patel, has fuelled suggestions of covert support from the Sangh Parivar. Hardik has denied this. "Some said your agitation is supported by Congress, some said your agitation is inspired by BJP, while some others said it is sponsored by the AAP, but we are apolitical," he said today.
Recently, a video clip showing Hardik holding guns went viral on social media. The clip has a voiceover saying he is not "averse to adopting more radical path".
