Congress, AAP, and Patidar leaders in Gujarat have criticized MNS chief Raj Thackeray for his comments about Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and former Prime Minister Morarji Desai, demanding a ban on his entry to Gujarat and an FIR against him.
The Gujarat police on Tuesday detained Sardar Patel Group head Lalji Patel in connection with violence during "jail bharo" agitation of Patidar community held last month.
SPG chief and quota agitation leader Lalji Patel has been arrested by Mehsana police in connection with the "jail bharo" agitation which had turned violent on April 17.
The court of Justice SH Vora granted temporary relief to Patel, who had filed the bail modification petition on November 7 on the ground that he wanted to offer prayers at the temple of his kuldevi (local deity).
Hardik Patel, was one of the accused in the FIR which was filed in Mehsana district on July 23, 2015, when a rally of the Patel community seeking reservation turned violent in Visnagar, resulting in damage to property and assault on some media persons.
Hardik Patel and others are accused of ransacking the office of Visnagar MLA Rishikesh Patel during the protest rally of the Patidar community in July 2015.
Days after being sworn into office, Nitin Patel is yet to take charge of the portfolios allotted to him.
The move comes a day a day after Patel community members living in the US announced a "boycott" of Modi's upcoming visit there.
'I have always said that Hardik worked for his own interest and not for the cause of the Patidars.' 'People didn't believe what I was saying then, but now the entire community believes what I have always said.'
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's monogrammed bandhgala, which he wore at his meeting with United States President Barack Obama in January and which has been under auction for the last three days in Surat, has finally been sold for a whopping price of Rs 4.31 crore.
'People with vested interests in the BJP don't want the Patels to get reservation.'
The quota stir by Patels has led to the emergence of new leaders on the political scene of Gujarat.
Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shah along with Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and other party leaders were booed off stage as the members of Hardik Patel's Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti created ruckus and vanadalised furniture at a programme to felicitate Patel leaders in Surat.
To mount pressure on government for reservation under OBC quota, the Patidar or Patel community members living in the US on Tuesday announced to "boycott" Prime Minister Narendra Modi's forthcoming visit there for delivering him a "strong message" on the issue.
Curfew was clamped in Mehsana town in Gujarat and mobile internet service banned on Sunday as a massive rally of the Patel community demanding reservation.
Diamond merchant Lalji Patel, who bought Prime Minister Narendra Modi's pinstripe monogrammed suit at Rs 4.31 crore in a high-profile auction, on Saturday took out a procession of the two-piece ensemble which was put on a mannequin resembling Modi.
Under the new reservation rule, families with income below Rs 6 lakh per annum will be eligible for quota benefit.
Mobile internet services have been banned in top towns of the state like Ahmedabad, Surat, Rajkot and Mehasana. The restriction will continue till midnight on Monday.
The Shiv Sena came to the defence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the auction of his pinstripe monogrammed suit and said the two-piece ensemble was valued highly because of the person who wore it.
Hardik Patel, the 21-year-old politician who has been grabbing headlines as leader of the 40-day agitation by the Patel Community, addressed a massive rally in Ahmedabad on Tuesday where he demanded reservations under the Other Backward Caste quota for the community.
Convener of the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti, Hardik Patel's clarification came a day after some Patel leaders announced they were planning to contest the upcoming local body polls.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances