Amid a call for Gujarat bandh, the administration on Monday lifted curfew in Mehsana, which had witnessed clashes between agitating Patidars and police on Sunday that left some 30 injured. The ban on mobile internet services in Ahmedabad, Surat, Rajkot, Mehsana and Banaskantha continued. The state government deployed Rapid Action Force (RAF) in Ahmedabad, Mehsana and Surat and stepped up security in others places.
Gujarat Chief minister Anandiben Patel tweeted in the morning appealing to maintain peace.
I urge my fellow citizens of Gujarat to maintain peace & harmony across state. Violence has never & will not be the solution of any matter.
— Anandiben Patel (@anandibenpatel) April 17, 2016
As we all know it, Gujarat Government has formed committee of 7 Ministers which is making persistent efforts to resolve the issue amicably.
— Anandiben Patel (@anandibenpatel) April 17, 2016
My sincere appeal to everyone is to cooperate with the State Government & help maintain peace of our beloved Gujarat.
— Anandiben Patel (@anandibenpatel) April 17, 2016
The bandh call given by Sardar Patel Group and Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) – the two outfits that are leading the Patidar quota movement – evoked a mixed response during the morning hours. Gujarat Chief Secretary G R Aloria said five companies of Rapid Action Force (RAF) have been deployed in these three cities. In addition, 20 companies of the State Reserve Police (SRP) have also been posted across the state.
Exams in some colleges, including Hem Chandra University, have been postponed, but largely the academic activity remained unaffected as most of the institutes went ahead with their scheduled examinations. The Sardar Patel Group (SPG) as well as Hardik Patel-led Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) have given a call for ‘Gujarat Bandh’ today.
“Apart from regular police force, we have deployed two companies of RAF at Ahmedabad and Mehasana each and one company at Surat. If needed, we may ask the Centre to allot 10 more companies of RAF to handle the situation,” Aloria said after holding a review meet with top officials late evening.
Section 144 (power to issue order in urgent cases of nuisance of apprehended danger) of the Code of Criminal Procedure which was imposed in Gujarat’s Mehsana on Sunday has been lifted. The Section was imposed after a clash broke out between the police and members of Patidar community during their ‘Jail Bharo Andolan’, demanding release of their leader Hardik Patel.
Police claimed they resorted to lathicharge only after some persons started throwing stones at the police vehicles, Lalji Patel alleged that Patel agitators were targeted without any provocation. The Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) has called for a shutdown in Gujarat on Monday. “Section 144 has been imposed and Internet services suspended till April 19 in Mehsana. The protesters attempted to set two government properties on fire, pelted stones and set an SDM’s vehicle on fire, which prompted the police to use tear gas shells,” Meanwhile, two companies of the State Reserve Police in Valsad, one each in Navsari, Surat rural and six in Surat city have been deployed. Around 100 police personnel have also been deployed in Surat’s Dang district.
The collector said mobile Internet had been banned and curfew imposed for the next 24 hours to control the situation. Soon after news of Mehsana violence spread, at Surat, a Patidar mob clashed with police in the Varachha area. Police used lathicharge and tear gas to control the mob, before detaining more than 400 protesters. Later, mobile Internet was banned for 24 hours in the city. Ahmedabad Collector Rajkumar Beniwal and Rajkot authorities decided to extend the ban to the two cities due to “tension prevailing in the state”. “The mobile Internet ban will start from Sunday evening at 6 and continue till 11 am on Monday. Depending upon the situation, the order will be reviewed,” Beniwal said. Landline broadband Internet services will not be affected by the ban. The Patidar groups, including SPG and PAAS, have given a call for Gujarat bandh on Monday.
