“We want the system changed”, said Ankit Patel, 25, who said he was passed over for admission to a master’s program at a state university in favor of three classmates from tribal communities who had lower marks.
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But the younger leader’s detention late within the night led to an instantaneous backlash, as protesters gathered in giant numbers at numerous cross-roads and attacked the police, pelted stones and set on hearth public properties together with buses at two locations.
12 lakh supporters join rally called by Hardik Patel, who now poses a challenge to CM.
“We have elected representatives from Gujarat and we have sent representatives to the Centre, they are not there just to make laws or to amend the Constitution”.
“The approach police had crushed us, together with the ladies and youngsters current on the GMDC floor venue, was not proper”, Hardik Patel advised media after his launch.
Fire department officials told AFP at least four buses were torched by the mob.
Two months ago, nobody had heard of Hardik Patel, a 21-year old commerce graduate, and son of a local businessman from Viramgam tehsil in Ahmedabad district.
Exhibiting his oratory skills, Hardik Patel invoked names of Sardar Patel, Bhagat Singh and Anna Hazare and also mentioned Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for having learned leadership from them. “When the agitators showed no intent of vacating the plot, police used force to evacuate them”, said sources. Areas under nine police station in Ahmedabad are under curfew in Ahmedabad.
The convenor of Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS), Hardik Patel, earlier addressed the gathering of an estimated more than a million supporters at the sprawling GMDC Ground and vowed that the demand for reservations was non-negotiable.
She also said that necessary action will be taken against those found guilty in the inquiry.
“We will also deploy 20 Bomb Disposal and Detection Squads at the rally”, he said, adding all the armoured vehicles from across the state have been brought here.
“I urge people to refrain from spreading & believing any rumours & support state administration in maintaining peace & harmony across Gujarat”, she tweeted.
A Patidar or member of Patel community holds a mask of Indian freedom fighter and first Home Minister of Independent India Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel as he participates in a rally in Ahmadabad, India, Tuesday, August 25, 2015.
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“Police lobbed a tear-gas shell and also lathi-charged the crowd when Patels and Dalits clashed”, inspector DR Dhamal of the city control room said.
