In a setback to jailed pro-quota Patidar leader Hardik Patel, the Gujarat Government on Wednesday refused to accept his undertaking of not getting involved in any sort of incendiary activities related to the ongoing Patidar agitation in the Gujarat High Court.
Interestingly, for the first time an alleged rift among the Patidar stir leaders came to the fore during the hearing as Hardik’s counsel Zubin Bharada argued that it was not Hardik who instigated the people to indulge in violencein the aftermath of the Maha Kranti Rally at GMDC ground in Ahmedabad on August 25, 2015, but Dinesh, Chirag and Ketan were responsible for it. Further hearing on the case has been kept on Thursday.
A week ago the Gujarat High Court had granted permanent bail to the three close aides of Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) convener Hardik Patel in sedition case on the condition of not leaving Ahmedabad-Gandhinagar for next six months. They had also given written assurance to the court that they would not get involved in any sort of activities related to the ongoing pro-quota agitation of Patidars.
It is worth mentioning that Hardik in his undertaking had assured the court on Tuesday that if granted bail he would not do anything by act or speech which incites people or trigger violence, however he maintained that he would participate in the agitation in peaceful manner. On this the State Government’s advocate had sought time for one day to reply and on Wednesday said that the undertaking was not acceptable to the State Government.
Hardik is facing two cases of sedition. One was lodged in Amroli police station of Surat district in October last year for his alleged on camera suggestion to a supporter to kill policeman rather than committing suicide. He was arrested in the case in October from Rajkot and has been lodged in the lajpore central jail of Surat since then. Two of his co-accused in the case Chirag Desai and Vipul Desai has got bail. Another case of sedition was lodged against Hardik and five others (including Chirag, Ketan and Dinesh Patel) by the Crime Branch of Ahmedabad police for his alleged involvement and plotting of the violence post a pro reservation rally on August 25, 2015.
