The Gujarat government has withdrawn 10 more cases related to Patidar Anamat (Reservation) agitation.
Meanwhile, two cases have also been withdrawn against Patidar Anamat leader Hardik Patel. Of the 10 cases withdrawn by the government, seven were from Ahmedabad Sessions Court and three were from the Metropolitan Court.
Naroda, Ramol, Bapunagar and Crime Branch, Sabarmati, Navarampura and Shaherkotda each have one case while Krishnanagar has two cases that have been withdrawn. The case against Hardik Patel at Ramol police station will be heard on April 15. It may be recalled that members of the Patidar community turned up in large numbers at the GMDC ground to demand reservation in Ahmedabad in 2015, under the leadership of Hardik Patel. Fourteen Patidars were killed in the violence that erupted in Gujarat in the evening after the public meeting by Hardik Patel. Former Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel was under huge pressure from the Patidars for reservation.
On August 25, 2015, a grand rally was organized by Patidars under Patidar Anamat Andolan. Following the rally, some complaints were lodged against Patidars. During the Patidar reservation movement in August 2015, a boy identified as Shwetang died in the custody of Bapunagar police. Many innocent persons died in police firing in Mehasana. The government also talked of giving jobs in the cooperatives to the families of the martyred Patidars.
During the agitation, police cases were registered against Patidars and 485 police complaints were registered. Of these, 228 police complaints have been dismissed but over 140 cases are pending.
Acting Working President of Gujarat Congress, Hardik Patel had written a letter to Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel to withdraw the cases against Patidars. “As the son of the Patidar community, I demand that the case against the Patidars in the reservation movement be withdrawn as soon as possible. Every leader in the movement is being prosecuted. There were about 400 such incidents. Previous governments had promised to withdraw these cases but this has not happened. You have given the necessary priority in this regard and the offences against the Patidars have been withdrawn.”
