Patel agitation: Gujarat government withdraws majority of cases

In a move to blunt the force of Patel agitation ahead of the Gujarat elections next year, the state government has decided to withdraw 391 out of 438 cases against Patel community members. 

According to reports, the Chief Minister Anandiben Patel has asked State Home Department to also review the remaining pending cases. The decision was taken on Friday in a meeting to review the cases filed during the Patel agitation. The Patel agitation took Gujarat by storm last year where the influential Patidar community demanded for reservations in educational institutions and government job. What ensued was massive unrest in Gujarat and PM Modi had to finally intervene and urge for calm.

The government had earlier ordered withdrawal of 155 cases. At a meeting last Friday, Anandiben ordered to withdraw 54 more cases in addition to the 155 cases. She also ordered the state home department to take necessary steps to withdraw an additional 182 cases at the earliest, the statement said.
With this, 391, or nearly 90 per cent, out of a total of 438 cases lodged against Patidar community members will be withdrawn.

Hardik Patel, leader of Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) shot to fame during the agitation. He is currently staying out of Gujarat to comply with court orders. A mass gathering of the Patidar community members on August 25 last year had turned violent. He was recently granted bail by the Gujarat High Court in two sedition cases as well as Visnagar loot and vandalism case and is presently residing in Udaipur as per the bail condition. 

With inputs from agencies