22 year old brings Gujarat to halt Who is Hardik Patel?

22-year-old Hardik Patel, face of the massive Patel community agitation for reservation, has eventually become a talk of the country. This young lad has been moving large crowds in Gujarat for the past two months, posing a challenge to state Chief Minister Anandiben Patel’s government. A B Com graduate with less than 50% marks from Ahmedabad’s Sahajanand College, Hardik hails from an average middle-class Patidar family from Viramgam. He later joined his father in running a small submersible-pumps business in Ahmedabad. He also grew up as a convenor of Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS). Hardik while addressing a disciplined gathering of an estimated over 1.20 million supporters at the sprawling GMDC Ground, vowed that the demand for reservations was non-negotiable.

“We can also do a `Kejriwal` here… We shall not allow anybody to fire bullets on our chests… If no reservations, then no Lotus (BJP symbol) in 2017,” declared the businessman Patel, invoking the name of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel while terming Patidars as his descendents.

Hardik also pointed out that the Patidars had proved what they were capable of doing if denied their rightful due — clearly hinting at the vote bank power of the estimated six million plus community in the state.

Is Kejriwal his mentor?

The truth, however, is that the picture which is now everywhere on social media and WhatsApp, is of Rohit Pandey who belongs to Uttar Pradesh’s Mainpuri district.

Pandey’s Facebook profile indroduces him as a “Personal Assistant to Delhi CM.” Pandey accompanies the Delhi CM everywhere as his personal driver, even during his inter-state visits.

He is the same person who drove the famous blue WagonR car of the Delhi Chief Minister, reported media from India.

Eight persons were killed and more than 100 injured as a statewide shutdown in Gujarat called by the Patidar Arakshan Andolan Samiti, seeking reservation for the Patel community, turned violent on Wednesday and continued to the give jitters to the state and Modi government.

Riot, arson, stone-pelting and widespread damage to public and private property forced the authorities to call in the Army and paramilitary forces. Curfew has been clamped in Ahmedabad, Surat, Rajkot, Mehasana, Patan, Palanpur, Unjha, Visnagar and Jamnagar.

Six people were killed in firing by police and para-military forces, while two died following clashes which started last night, police said. Four deaths were reported in Ahmedabad, three in Gadh village of Banaskantha district and one in Mehasana town.

At least 100 persons were injured in violence, mainly in group clashes and stone-pelting incidents, in the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. As many as 133 companies of the Army, Central Reserve Police Force, State RPF, Rapid Action Force, and Border Security Force besides the Gujarat Police were engaged in controlling violent mobs in various cities.

At least 12 trains, including Ahmedabad-Delhi Rajdhani Express, were cancelled and 19 trains were diverted inside Gujarat. The Army and paramilitary forces carried out flag marches in riot-hit localities in various cities, which observed a near-total shutdown even as Modi, Chief Minister Anandiben Patel, Congress president Sonia Gandhi, party vice-president Rahul Gandhi and top leaders of other political parties appealed for calm. At least 49 companies of the armed forces were stationed in Ahmedabad where nearly 1.2 million Patidars took out a rally on Tuesday.

Another 10 companies were stationed in diamond polishing hub Surat, which saw riots, arson and looting of shops and commercial establishments on Wednesday. Overnight curfew failed to deter the rioting mobs who were reacting to the brief detention of PAAS convener, Hardik Patel (22), the leader of the agitation.