Rajkot police today allowed some Patel quota agitation leaders to watch the IPL match at Khandheri stadium here after taking an assurance that they will not shout slogans related to the agitation or for the release of their jailed leader Hardik Patel during the match. Police were on their toes since morning after learning that a car with slogans and photographs of Hardik Patel, the leader of Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti, had entered the city.
Police stopped them a few kilometres away from the stadium which was hosting an IPL tie between Gujarat Lions and Pune Supergiants. “There were 5-6 persons inside. They told us they are here just to watch the match. We have taken assurance from them that they will not create any problem and will not stage any protest. After they agreed, we allowed them to watch the match,” district superintendent of police Antrip Sood told.
The car was driven by Surat PAAS convener Nikhil Savani, accompanied by Rajkot PAAS convener Brijesh Patel and others. “To convey our solidarity with Hardik and raise the demand for his release from jail, we came to Rajkot from Surat in this especially decorated car,” Brijesh said. In October last year, Rajkot police had detained Hardik Patel when he was on his way to the Khandheri stadium ahead of the India-South Africa One-Day International where he had threatened to stage a protest.
