Hardline Gujarati leader to expand movement across nation

Hardik says he will work for the rights of Patel communities in all parts of the country

Hardik Patel, leader of the Patel agitation in Gujarat, yesterday announced plans to expand his movement across the country and began by batting for Gujjars in Delhi with a demand for return of their land acquired for various purposes.

Patel said his Akhil Bhartiya Patel Navnirman Sena (ABPNS), an umbrella organisation of Patels, Kurmis and Gujjars, will work for the rights of its communities in different parts of the country. The 22-year-old Gujarati leader said, “When we came to Delhi, we learnt that our brothers’ lands had been acquired at meagre amounts and now huge structures have come over there.”

Rally

Addressing volunteers of ABPNS, he said, “We have to fight a battle for our Gujjar brothers. Whatever land that is available and where no work is happening should be given back to our Gujjar brothers.”

He said a rally will be organised at Ramlila Maidan here to press the demand for return of the land of the Gujjars. He, however, did not specify when the rally would take place.

Patel said important structures such as the Rashtrapati Bhavan, Akshardham and the Parliament have been built on the land acquired from the Gujjar and Kurmi community leaders. Sending a word of caution to the Bharatiya Janata Party, Patel said, “In Gujarat we saw that if anyone that has helped make a prime minister then it is us, so we should not be harmed”.

Patel is already at loggerheads with the government in his home state by leading an agitation for reservation for Patels there. He insisted that he did not want to give any political shape to the new organisation but added that a decision on this will be taken at a time when required.