Ahmedabad Police detained Hardik Patel, campaign leader, on Tuesday night after the protesters turned the agitation violent. A few hours later, Ahmedabad police released him. The Patel community held a massive rally in Ahmedabad on Tuesday to press for their demand for OBC status and warned that BJP will not be able to return to power in 2017 if they are not given reservation.
The Ahmedabad Police also lathicharged on protesters on Tuesday night after Hardik Patel was detained.
Campaign leader Hardik Patel, in a hard-hitting speech on Tuesday had said if the government ignored the demand of the community, the BJP in Gujarat will face consequences in the polls and "lotus will not bloom". Patel, who has imparted momentum and virulence to the struggle as leader of the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti, also threated to go on hunger strike at the venue till Chief Minister Anandiben Patel turns up and takes the memorandum from the outfit.
As members of the numerically strong and economically influential community of Gujarat poured in large numbers for the "Maha Kranti" rally, the city to came to a grinding halt for hours.
Patels have declined to call off the agitation despite Anandiben Patel expressing her inability to accord the OBC status to the community, citing the Supreme Court guidelines and judgements on the issue. The protest, however, triggered clashes various parts of the city as police baton-charged and lobbed teargas shells to control the situation, officials said.
Clashes between Patel community members and local residents were also reported from Vadaj, Vastrapur, Nikol and Paldi areas when they allegedly tried to enforce a bandh called by the agitating outfit.
Related read- OBC quota for Patels: Rift comes in open between agitating leaders
