Hardik, who is leading the agitation for reservation to his community under OBC category, was arrested on Saturday, while he was trying to take out the “Ekta Yatra” from Surat.
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Surat and Ahmedabad cities in afternoon. However, in other cities like Rajkot, Surat and some parts of Saurashtra, the services will be suspended.
Crowds of villagers in Botad were caned when they attempted to block the state and national highways passing through the district.
The mobile internet ban, in force since Saturday in the wake of sporadic violence following the arrest of Patel reservation stir leader Hardik Patel, was lifted on Sunday across Gujarat as the situation stayed peaceful, but continued in Mehsana district, considered the hotbed of the agitation.
“The situation is totally under control across the state”.
The rally, which the police declared as “unauthorised”, was to press for caste-based reservations for the Patel community spearheaded by PAAS. The protestors demanded that the state and central government take action against the police officers responsible for the killing of eight Patidar youths.
Office bearers of the OPAAS said that the community in the U.S. is building pressure on Chandrakant Patel to resign as president of the Overseas Friends of BJP. He also alleged that the Gujarat government was “harassing everybody”. When Patel was detained after a similar rally last month, riots erupted across several cities in Gujarat, leaving at least five people dead. The ban was imposed after Mr. Patel’s detention in Surat triggered a protest by the Patidar community and thousands came out on the streets.
PAAS termed the detentions as “illegal and bulldozing of democracy by the Gujarat government” which was acting at the central government’s behest.
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Yesterday “Ekta Rally” was thrown a challenge by the opposing OBC Ekta Manch, which threatened to take out a “Pratikar Rally” protesting against the reservations sought by the Patidars.
