Patel quota stir leader Hardik Patel, Reuters file photo
The Visnagar court in north Gujarat on Wednesday issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against Patel quota stir leader Hardik Patel and Lalji Patel, leader of another outfit fighting for Patels' quota, the Sardar Patel Group (SPG), for not attending court proceedings.
The warrant has been issued for not attending three hearings. A case was filed against Hardik and 17 others by the Visnagar town police for ransacking the office of BJP legislator Rushikesh Patel during the protest rally of the Patidar community demanding reservation in July 2015.
“I have been attending the hearings regularly. It is only today that due to some social commitment, I did not attend the hearing,” Lalji said. “This could be due to the political situation prevalent today. No one would have heard that one gets a warrant issued against him or her for not attending one hearing.”
Dinesh Bhambaniya, a close aide of Hardik, said this shows the desperation of the ruling dispensation. “He has not attended the hearing only once,” Bhambaniya said.
Another leader of Patidaar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) Atul Patel claimed this would have a negative impact on the chances of BJP in the election.
“It has been 27 months and 18 days since we launched the agitation and we will continue to fight against the BJP with more force. As for Hardik, we will consult our lawyers and take the next step,” he said.