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Hardik takes a dig at Modi, says PM demeaned his status by visiting Amreli to inaugurate an APMC yard

"The president could have done the honours (of inaugurating the yard). Till now, MLAS, a minister of Chief Minister would inaugurate a yard. But here, it was done by the PM," Hardik said.

Hardik Patel, Narendra Modi, Amreli, agriculture produce market committee, apmc, india news, indian express news Hardik Patel addresses public meeting in Khambha of Amreli on Friday. Photo by Dashrathsinh Rathod

Quota stir leader Hardik Patel hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying he had demeaned the position of PM by visiting Amreli district recently to inaugurate a yard of Amreli agriculture produce market committee (APMC), which he, said could have been done by president of local district panchayat and accused him not pursuing Kalpasar project.

“Some time ago, bhai (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) paid a visit here to inaugurate a marketing yard (of agriculture produce market committee of Amreli). It’s a matter of shame that a Prime Minister had to come to inaugurate a marketing yard. By doing so, he demeaned president of local district panchayat. The president could have done the honours (of inaugurating the yard). Till now, MLAS, a minister of Chief Minister would inaugurate a yard. But here, it was done by the PM,” Hardik said while addressing Sankalp Sabha (meeting to resolve) on the yard of APMC in Khambha taluka of Amreli district on Friday evening.

The event was orgnaised by Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS), a Hardik-led organisation which is spearheading agitation by Patidar or Patel community in the state demanding recognition as OBC and attendant benefits of reservation in government jobs and educaiton. PM had visited Amreli on 17th of last month to inaugurate the new yard of Amreli APMC, and lay foundation stone of an beekeeing farm and an ice-cream plant of Amar Dairy.

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Hardik said that people used to chant, “Dkho dekho kaun aaya, Gujarat ka sher aaya (look who is coming, the lion of Gujarat) for Modi but the BJP leader had “turned out to be a cat.” “Don’t forget Keshubhai Patel who had taken up Kalpasar project. Also do not forget aa bhai (Narendra Modi) who has put Kalpasar project on back-burner,” the quota leader exhorted to the gathering. The Patidar leader charged that the BJP had damaged Amreli district and also took a dig at Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Purushottam Rupala; and former agriculture ministers of Gujarat, Dilip Sanghani and Bechar Bhadani accusing them of neglecting interests of farmers of Amreli while they served as ministers.

“They (BJP) have ruined this golden district. There are no factories here and therefore, no pollution. There is lot greenery here. Had you got water either from Narmada project or Kalpasar project, you would not have been forced to migrate to Surat. But nobody talks about your interests. Farmers have suffered as agriculture minister would always be from Amreli, be it state government or Central government. You always respected them but they never stood by you when it came to protecting interests of farmers,” said Hardik.

Festive offer

Incidentally, scores of people from districts like Amreli, Bhavanagr Rajkot etc of Saurasthra region have migrated to Surat in south Gujarat to work in diamond and textiles industry there over the decades. Saurasthra, a water-starved region is still chiefly agrarian and is domiated by Patidars. The PAAS convenor also claimed that Amreli accounted by highest number of suicides by farmers.

“A political game is on for the last four-five years to destroy this district completely. Farmers are most unhappy today. In the last five years, highest number of farmers have committed suicide in Amreli in entire state. But there has bee no solution to this issue. We read in newspapers that a farmer committed suicide by jumping in a well or hanging himself. But did we ever think why farmers are committing suicide? They commit suicide when they don’t get good price for their produce or when their crop fails,” said Hardik.

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The quota leader said people were deserting villages as agriculture was not able to support them for lack of irrigation water and that Villages of Saurastra—especially of Amreli and Bhavnagar— had turned ghost villages. He said BJP was responsible for this as it failed to supply water of Narmada project of Kalpasar for irrigation. He exhorted people not to vote for BJP in the Assembly elections scheduled for this December to arrest this trend. “I am not here to tell you who should you vote for. If you want to prevent further desertions of villages in Saurashtra, you will have to unite and fight. I am here to tell you don’t vote even for my father if he contests as a BJP candidate from here,” said Hardik.

Hardik said Patidars were demanding reservation because people were forced to migrate from villages to cities as agriculture was no longer able to support them. Patels, who dominate politics and economy of the state have been agitating since mid-2015 demanding the community be included on the list of OBC. The quota leaders had extended support to Congress in panchayat and municipality election held in 2015 and the opposition party had benefited great deal in Saurashtra and north Gujarat. But Hardik also warned that support of quota leadres to Congress was not unconditional. “The fact that we are opposed to BJP doesn’t mean we are with Congress. If they (Congress) failed come good, we will be against them also. However, if they intend to do something good, we will have to support them,” he said.

Before reaching Khambha, Hardik lead a road-show through many villages of Amreli. Before entering Amreli, the quota leader had led similar road-shows in Jamnagar and Botad districts over the past two days. The agitation spear-head also launched a scathing attack on Nalin Kotadiya, the sitting BJP MLA from Dhari who had supported the quota stir for two years and exhorted Patidars to defeat BJP in elections. However, he had won back sympathy of the BJP after he reportedly voted for the saffron party at Rajya Sabha election held in the state in August this year.

“We were all chating ‘Saurashtra no sinh, Saurashtra no sinh (lion of Saurashtra, lion of Saurashtra).’ That only one out of 45 (Patidar MLAs) turned out to be a man (as he supported quota agitation). But now don’t remain trapped in the figure of 44. Make it 45. He has soiled prestige of entire community for his personal greed—to get plots of lands cleared and strike land deals. He is still playing big games. He is responsible for PAAS members leaving the organisation. He has no other business. He used to say don’t vote for BJP if a Patlani (a Patidar woman) has given you birth. Now it’s time to put this to test. If you indeed were born by a Patlani, don’t allow him to enter your villages,” said Hardik.

Khambha is part of Dhari Assembly constituency.

First uploaded on: 27-10-2017 at 22:22 IST
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