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Patidar quota agitation leader Hardik Patel and several of his supporters were detained by the police in Ahmedabad on Sunday ahead of his proposed hunger strike.
The Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) leader had announced a day-long hunger strike on Sunday to protest against the State government’s refusal to allow him to hold a mega gathering on August 25 to mark the third anniversary of the Patidar mega rally in 2015, which had triggered riots across the State.
On Sunday, as Hardik and his supporters headed for Nikol for the hunger strike, the police detained him and over 100 supporters from different parts of the State.
The police said Hardik was organising the hunger strike without permission from the authorities. Hardik had declared that he along with his supporters would observe a day-long fast, sitting in parked cars in the Nikol area, as a place to hold the protest was not approved.
Following the news of Hardik’s detention, PAAS supporters from different parts of Gujarat, including Surat and Rajkot, took to the streets and tried to block roads, demanding his release.
Hardik had earlier announced the launch of an indefinite hunger strike from August 25 to revive the reservation agitation and push for the demand of OBC quota for the Patidar (Patel) community.
“We have assured the authorities that the protest will not affect law and order and will be observed on Gandhian principles of non-violence. But they refused permission even for a peaceful protest,” Hardik said.
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