Hardik, one of the star campaigners of the Congress for the Lok Sabha elections, was in the middle of his speech at Baldana village of Wadhwan taluka, when the attacker walked on the stage, and slapped him.
Patidar quota stir spearhead Hardik Patel, who joined the Congress last month, was slapped by a person while he was addressing a public meeting in Surendranagar district on Friday.
Hardik, one of the star campaigners of the Congress for the Lok Sabha elections, was in the middle of his speech at Baldana village of Wadhwan taluka, when the attacker walked on the stage, and slapped him.
The attacker, later identified as Tarun Gajjar, a resident of Mehsana's Jasalpur village, shouted "14 jan ne bharkhi gayo" (you are responsible for the loss of 14 lives) while slapping Hardik, referring to the death of 14 Patidar youths who were killed in police firing after violence broke out at many places in the state following his rally on August 25, 2015.
Congress workers and Hardik's supporters overpowered Gajjar, and thrashed him. His clothes were also torn, before he was taken away by the police. An injured Gajjar was admitted to hospital, even as video of the slap-gate went viral on social media within moments.
Hardik, who filed a complaint against Gajjar with Wadhwan police, blamed the BJP for the attack on him. "I was attacked by the BJP. Today, it was an attempted slap, but tomorrow the party will attack me with bullets," Hardik wrote on Twitter.
Gajjar, however, claimed that he had slapped Hardik to teach him a lesson for the hardships suffered during his agitation.
‘Pending Quota’
- Man walks up to the stage in Surendranagar district and slaps Hardik with his left hand
- Attacker says wanted to teach Hardik a lesson after his 2015 quota stir claimed 14 lives
- Hardik’s supporters thrash him, rip his clothes; cop take injured attacker to hospital
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