Today, the man spearheading the Patel reservation agitation – Hardik Patel of Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) will launch a political party in Delhi. The party called Patel Navnirman Sena will be holding its 1st national executive meeting with Hardik as the President on Tuesday. Hardik was the face of the Patel agitation which practically brought Gujarat to a standstill earlier in September. Hardik said that ‘Patel Navnirman Sena (PNS)’ will work towards bringing Patels (Patidars) and affiliated communities such as Kurmis and Gujjars under one roof to press for their demand for reservation in Government jobs and education under OBC category. Hardik has announced to support Nitish Kumar in upcoming Bihar Assembly polls.
Announcing plans to hold a series of rallies in coming months to take forward their campaign, Hardik said PNS’ units have been formed in 16 States and he was today unanimously elected as its National President.Hardik claims Kurmis and Gujjars belong to Patel community and called by these names outside Gujarat.The combined strength of these three communities is more than 27 crore in India, said the 22-year-old commerce graduate who shot into limelight when Patels launched a stir in Gujarat in support of their demand for reservation.”Till now, more than 7.8 lakh members of Kurmi-Patel communities have joined PNS. We will hold 16 rallies in 16 different states during the next 12 months. We expect that more than 4 lakh of our members will participate in each of these mega rallies,” Hardik said.
To press for demand for reservation to Kurmi-Patels under OBC quota in Uttar Pradesh, Hardik said the outfit will organise a mega meet in Lucknow in October.”On October 31, which is the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, our organisation will take out a mega rally in Lucknow to demand reservation for Kurmi-Patels,” he said.The show of strength exercise will then move to New Delhi, where the young leader addressed a gathering of Gujjar and Kurmi communities late last month. “After a gap of around one-and-a-half months, we will take out a massive rally in Delhi. We expect more than 50 lakh of our members to participate in that rally,” said Hardik.On August 25, Hardik-led Patidar Ananmat Andolan Samiti (PAAS), which has been spearheading the quota stir in Gujarat, held a mammoth gathering of Patels in Ahmedabad. After his brief detention that day, violence erupted across the State, which claimed 10 lives and caused extensive damage to public property.
