New Delhi: In the news for leading a massive demonstration which pushed Gujarat to the brink last week, 22-year-old Hardik Patel has justified his demand for reservation for his community.
In an exclusive interview with India Today TV, Hardik also claimed that he has no political links and that he does not want to fight elections.
During the interview, Hardik chose his words cautiously to target Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The young leader said that Modi’s much-talked-about Gujarat model failed to work for the poor.
“Those who were rich became richer and the poor poorer. I haven’t seen any Gujarat model, I have come from a village. I didn’t see any development in my village. I don’t even remember who I voted for,” he said.
Stating that leaders like Sardar Patel and Bal Thackeray have been his idols, the Patel leader said: “I like it when people call me Sardar Hardik. I want to be the modern Patel, not a pretender.”
A dig at PM
Taking a dig at Prime Minister Modi’s ambitious Statue of Unity project, which includes erecting a 182-metre high statue of Sardar Patel, Hardik said: “I want to be the real thing, not a statue.”
The young activist aims to be a leader who combines Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray’s firepower and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s vision. However, during the interview he was also critical of Kejriwal.
“Arvind Kejriwal talked big but he hasn’t been able to bring about any change. He has failed as Delhi CM,” he said.
Hardik also vehemently rejected charges of Patels indulging in violence following his rally in Ahmedabad last week. He blamed the police for the violence across the state. He also advised political leaders to retire at the age of 58 to make room for young netas.
Replying to a question, he said: “For me, caste is important while voting. I have voted once and as far as I remember I voted for a Patel. The candidate should be good and from my community.”
“If some policemen enter our house and say ‘send your mother and sister if you want quota’, we won’t think twice before chopping off their hands. Police are for protecting the people of the society and not to make such remarks,” the firebrand activist said.
Advocating that India should also have US-type gun laws, Hardik said: “If keeping an AK-47 was allowed, I would have kept it for defence. Such type of law should be there in a country like ours where there is so much crime.”
Hardik has galvanised the dominant Patel community in Gujarat on the reservation demand. The BCom graduate had brought Ahmedabad to a standstill on August 25 with a massive show of support that took a violent turn following his brief detention by police.
In subsequent violence, 10 people were killed and many injured, prompting authorities to clamp curfew in parts of the city.
Meanwhile, Hardik faced opposition at a gathering of Gujjars in the Capital. As Hardik began his address, Gujjar leader Rajendra Mawi, who claimed to be president of Akhil Bhartiya Gujjar Mahasangh, interrupted him by accusing him of extending support to the demand for Jat reservation.
Mawi, who was pushed out of the venue after a brief scuffle, later said: “We are opposed to him (Hardik)... How can we support him when he is also supporting the demand by Jats for reservation?”
He further said given the political dominance of the Patels, they should talk to the Gujarat government and the Modi dispensation at the Centre.
Protest will be taken to other states
Hardik Patel, who has hogged the national limelight through his aggressive stance on the OBC quota for the Patel community, said he will expand his protest across the country.
“Whatever has happened in Gujarat, we want to take it to the national level and there are (people of) around 12 states who are connected to us,” Hardik (22), who has emerged as the leader of the upper caste Patidar community, said in a press conference in the Capital.
The two-month old agitation had reached a flashpoint recently when it plunged Gujarat into violence after police lathi-charged the protesters. The massive Patel rally in Ahmedabad on August 25 led to Hardik’s detention and was followed by widespread violence which claimed 10 lives, including that of a police constable, forcing the authorities to stage Army flag march.
Hardik said the agitation for OBC quota for Patels in government jobs and educational institutions will be expanded to other states and include castes like Kurmis and Gujjars.
Patel met some leaders of the Kurmi, Koeri and Gujjar communities among others with whom he said the Patidars of Gujarat had kinship.
“I intend to bring 27 crore people of our community together who are in different states. I want to take our movement all over the nation. Wherever the Patel community needs me, I will go. During this time, if we feel there is the need to show muscle power, we will do it. Whenever required, they (these communities) will block the highways,” Hardik said.
“We intend to organise a mega rally in Lucknow, at Jantar Mantar in Delhi... we will give a call to the Patels of India (to join the movement),” he said.
According to him, the poor from all communities should get reservation as quotas have taken the country back.
“The country has gone back 60 years because of reservations and this has hindered its prospects of becoming a super power.
Those who score good marks but are still unable to get admission require reservation. The day there is a proper blueprint on reservation, we can strengthen our country and take it to a new level,” he said.
Lashing out at the Gujarat Police, Patel said he will be holding a mega-rally in Madhya Pradesh on Monday against it. He also questioned the much-touted Gujarat model of development, saying no such thing existed.
“As many as 8,900 farmers, all Patels, have committed suicide. Reservations have been given to 182 castes of which only 4-5 castes are in Gujarat. In 1984, there was opposition from the Patel community (before the Mandal Commission) to reservations. Today, the system has become weak and the youth are not getting employment,” he said.
“We have no fight with anyone. We are not opposed to SC, ST and OBC and we are also not opposed to BJP, SP or AAP. If we did not get our right, no matter who rules us, Modi or Kejriwal, we will continue our fight,” he said.
(Mail Today)
In an exclusive interview with India Today TV, Hardik also claimed that he has no political links and that he does not want to fight elections.
During the interview, Hardik chose his words cautiously to target Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The young leader said that Modi’s much-talked-about Gujarat model failed to work for the poor.
“Those who were rich became richer and the poor poorer. I haven’t seen any Gujarat model, I have come from a village. I didn’t see any development in my village. I don’t even remember who I voted for,” he said.
Stating that leaders like Sardar Patel and Bal Thackeray have been his idols, the Patel leader said: “I like it when people call me Sardar Hardik. I want to be the modern Patel, not a pretender.”
A dig at PM
Taking a dig at Prime Minister Modi’s ambitious Statue of Unity project, which includes erecting a 182-metre high statue of Sardar Patel, Hardik said: “I want to be the real thing, not a statue.”
The young activist aims to be a leader who combines Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray’s firepower and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s vision. However, during the interview he was also critical of Kejriwal.
“Arvind Kejriwal talked big but he hasn’t been able to bring about any change. He has failed as Delhi CM,” he said.
Hardik also vehemently rejected charges of Patels indulging in violence following his rally in Ahmedabad last week. He blamed the police for the violence across the state. He also advised political leaders to retire at the age of 58 to make room for young netas.
Replying to a question, he said: “For me, caste is important while voting. I have voted once and as far as I remember I voted for a Patel. The candidate should be good and from my community.”
“If some policemen enter our house and say ‘send your mother and sister if you want quota’, we won’t think twice before chopping off their hands. Police are for protecting the people of the society and not to make such remarks,” the firebrand activist said.
Advocating that India should also have US-type gun laws, Hardik said: “If keeping an AK-47 was allowed, I would have kept it for defence. Such type of law should be there in a country like ours where there is so much crime.”
Hardik has galvanised the dominant Patel community in Gujarat on the reservation demand. The BCom graduate had brought Ahmedabad to a standstill on August 25 with a massive show of support that took a violent turn following his brief detention by police.
In subsequent violence, 10 people were killed and many injured, prompting authorities to clamp curfew in parts of the city.
Meanwhile, Hardik faced opposition at a gathering of Gujjars in the Capital. As Hardik began his address, Gujjar leader Rajendra Mawi, who claimed to be president of Akhil Bhartiya Gujjar Mahasangh, interrupted him by accusing him of extending support to the demand for Jat reservation.
Mawi, who was pushed out of the venue after a brief scuffle, later said: “We are opposed to him (Hardik)... How can we support him when he is also supporting the demand by Jats for reservation?”
He further said given the political dominance of the Patels, they should talk to the Gujarat government and the Modi dispensation at the Centre.
Protest will be taken to other states
Hardik Patel, who has hogged the national limelight through his aggressive stance on the OBC quota for the Patel community, said he will expand his protest across the country.
“Whatever has happened in Gujarat, we want to take it to the national level and there are (people of) around 12 states who are connected to us,” Hardik (22), who has emerged as the leader of the upper caste Patidar community, said in a press conference in the Capital.
The two-month old agitation had reached a flashpoint recently when it plunged Gujarat into violence after police lathi-charged the protesters. The massive Patel rally in Ahmedabad on August 25 led to Hardik’s detention and was followed by widespread violence which claimed 10 lives, including that of a police constable, forcing the authorities to stage Army flag march.
Hardik said the agitation for OBC quota for Patels in government jobs and educational institutions will be expanded to other states and include castes like Kurmis and Gujjars.
Patel met some leaders of the Kurmi, Koeri and Gujjar communities among others with whom he said the Patidars of Gujarat had kinship.
“I intend to bring 27 crore people of our community together who are in different states. I want to take our movement all over the nation. Wherever the Patel community needs me, I will go. During this time, if we feel there is the need to show muscle power, we will do it. Whenever required, they (these communities) will block the highways,” Hardik said.
“We intend to organise a mega rally in Lucknow, at Jantar Mantar in Delhi... we will give a call to the Patels of India (to join the movement),” he said.
According to him, the poor from all communities should get reservation as quotas have taken the country back.
“The country has gone back 60 years because of reservations and this has hindered its prospects of becoming a super power.
Those who score good marks but are still unable to get admission require reservation. The day there is a proper blueprint on reservation, we can strengthen our country and take it to a new level,” he said.
Lashing out at the Gujarat Police, Patel said he will be holding a mega-rally in Madhya Pradesh on Monday against it. He also questioned the much-touted Gujarat model of development, saying no such thing existed.
“As many as 8,900 farmers, all Patels, have committed suicide. Reservations have been given to 182 castes of which only 4-5 castes are in Gujarat. In 1984, there was opposition from the Patel community (before the Mandal Commission) to reservations. Today, the system has become weak and the youth are not getting employment,” he said.
“We have no fight with anyone. We are not opposed to SC, ST and OBC and we are also not opposed to BJP, SP or AAP. If we did not get our right, no matter who rules us, Modi or Kejriwal, we will continue our fight,” he said.
(Mail Today)
No comments:
Post a Comment