Hardik to proceed with indefinite fast

Patidar quota stir leader Hardik Patel said that he would proceed with his indefinite fast from Saturday even as he failed to get permission from the Gandhinagar local government for an alternate site.

“Police has imposed Section 144 in the city but when BJP men move around with ashes of Atalji, no action is initiated against them! I have only sought an official nod before I begin fast. If they are not willing to, I will do it at my house,” Hardik told reporters.

Hardik, who has been seeking official permission for a venue to undertake his fast, met police and local government officials in person to get the nod. The local administration did not give him a firm commitment on the issue. He, therefore, sought to shift his venue to Satyagrah Chhavni in Gandhinagar.

However, the Gandhinagar collector on Friday said the permission was denied after the assessment of the situation.

Hardik is undertaking fast to mark the third anniversary of a mega rally of Patel community that was held at GMDC ground in Ahmedabad on August 25, 2015. After the rally, the violence broke out and over a dozen people were killed. The rally established Hardik as a Patidar leader.

The Patels have been fighting for quotas in government jobs and educational institutions on the lines of other backward communities.

Earlier, Ahmedabad Police uprooted the tent that was erected outside Hardik's house, where he is planning to hold his fast. The leaves of all police personnel were also cancelled.

Meanwhile, Hardik got a shot in his arm on Friday as Visnagar court in North Gujarat acceded to his request for a bail extension in a case related to rioting in a three-year-old case.

Hardik said that he has received support from West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh Akhilesh Yadav and former deputy chief minister of Bihar Tejaswi Yadav. These leaders are expected to meet him on Monday.