Gujarat govt to withdraw 9 cases linked to 2015 Patidar quota stir; Hardik Patel hails move

BJP MLA Hardik Patel, the face of the quota agitation back then and booked in several cases, has claimed that these offences also include two sedition cases registered against him and other agitators.

Ahmedabad: In yet another relief to BJP MLA Hardik Patel and his associates facing various criminal cases, including charges of sedition, registered during Patidar quota agitation in 2015, the state government on Friday said that it has withdrawn nine cases in which chargesheet have been filed after completion of investigations.

State government's spokesperson Rushikesh Patel in a media briefing said that "Time to time, government has withdrawn such cases after following judicial process. Four more cases are pending which are also being reviewed."

The relief comes nearly ten years after the violent agitation, in which over a dozen youth from Patel community were killed. Hardik and his key associates of Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) were booked by Surat and Ahmedabbad police in two separate sedition cases. Besides, Hardik and others were booked in many rioting, illegal assembly, assault, among other cases.

Similarly, minister of state for home Harsh Sanghavi told reporters, "Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has decided to withdraw nine cases which were registered following certain incidents during Patidar agitation against some youths. Chargesheet have been filed in these cases after completing investigation."

Earlier in the day, Hardik Patel and other Patidar leaders facing the criminal cases thanked the government for withdrawing the cases. He told reporters that withdrawal has come as a relief to 30 to 35 Patidar youths who were facing the criminal charges.

Patel is the BJP MLA from Viramgam in Ahmedabad district. He was the face of the agitation which had rattled the state government.

Its impact was felt in 2017 Assembly election when the opposition Congress showed that BJP was not invincible. Patel was arrested several times and remained in jail for nearly nine months in the sedition cases.

Subsequently, Patel joined the Congress as state working president but resigned ahead of 2022 Assembly polls.