Hardik Patel, 2 others charged with sedition
An Ahmedabad court on Tuesday charged activist Hardik Patel, 25, with sedition in a case dating back to 2015 when he led an agitation in Gujarat for quotas in education and government jobs for his Patidar community.
The case was lodged against him after he allegedly instigated followers to vandalise public property following his arrest and subsequent release after his August 25, 2015, rally to press his demand for Patidars to be classified as an Other Backward Class (OBC).
The classification would make the community of prosperous landowners, which accounts for 14% of Gujarat’s population, eligible for quotas in government jobs and colleges under a system in which up to 50% reservation is given to Dalits, tribals and OBCs.
The Supreme Court has put a 50% ceiling on the reservations.
Violent pro-quota protests had continued for two days after the rally. As many as 13 people were killed and public property worth ~44 crore was damaged across the state in the violence.
Hardik Patel faces another sedition case in Surat. He was jailed for nine months in October 2015 and later exiled on the court’s orders from the state for six months.
The Ahmedabad sessions court framed charges against Hardik Patel along with his aides, Dinesh Bambhaniya and Chirag Patel, under Indian Penal Code’s sections 124 (A) (sedition) and 120 (B) (criminal conspiracy). They face life imprisonment if convicted.
The Ahmedabad crime branch earlier filed an 18-page charge sheet against the three, who have been accused of inciting violence to pressurise the government to accept their reservation demand.
The three have pleaded not guilty and are out on bail.
Hardik Patel said he would challenge the charges.
“Charges of sedition, the war
AHMEDABAD: Charges of sedition, the war against the government, instigating people have been framed against me... as if I am out with weapons to wage war against the BJP... but I have faith in the judiciary. HARDIK PATEL, Activist
against the government, instigating people have been framed against me... as if I am out with weapons to wage war against the (ruling) BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party)... but I have faith in the judiciary. I will fight and will go to a higher court if needed,” Hardik Patel said.
He added he has no faith in the Ahmedabad crime branch.
The Ahmedabad police arrested Bambhaniya on the basis of non-bailable warrants issued against him after he repeatedly failed to appear before the court.
Hardik Patel appeared for the hearing on Tuesday after his lawyer’s application seeking an exemption for him was rejected. “The court maintained that the defence can ask Hardik to come. Following this Hardik produced himself before the court,” said public prosecutor Sudhir Bhrambhatt.
Bhrambhatt had earlier sought non-bailable warrants against Hardik Patel as well. Hardik Patel arrived in the court within 30 minutes after the court asked his lawyer whether he could appear before it for the framing of the charges.