Hardik Patel booked for delivering 'political' speech at educational event

An FIR was lodged here against Patidar quota agitation spearhead Hardik Patel for allegedly delivering a "political" speech at an educational and farmers' welfare event at a village in this district over two months ago, the police said on Saturday.
The complaint, filed by Jamnagar (rural) Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) R K Patel, says that although permission was granted for organising an educational and farmers' welfare event at Dhutarpar village, it turned out to be a "political" programme with Hardik delivering the speech.
The case was registered at the Jamnagar 'A' division police station yesterday.
According to the complaint, Hardik and his associate Ankit Dhadia had violated the conditions laid down while granting permission for the event.
Dhadia had sought permission from the SDM to hold a public gathering at Dhutarpar village on November 4 last year.
"While permission was granted for an educational and farmers' welfare programme at Dhutarpar village in the Jamnagar taluka, it turned out to be a political event with Hardik delivering a political speech," the SDM said in the complaint.
"We had granted permission to hold the gathering.

However, after going through the details of the event, it came to light that instead of being an educational and farmers' welfare programme, it turned out to be a political event, thereby violating the conditions set while granting the permission," he added.
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Hardik Patel granted VIP security on threat report by intelligence agencies

A 'Y' category of armed VIP security cover has been accorded by the Centre to Gujarat's Patidar leader Hardik Patel, official sources on Thursday said.

The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has been entrusted with the task of safeguarding the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) leader, they said.

"A contingent of armed CISF commandos will take charge of the new protectee very soon. Patel will have about eight commandos with him, whenever he travels in Gujarat," a senior official said.

He said a threat analysis report, prepared by central intelligence and security agencies, favoured granting of such a cover to Patel.

There is a potential threat to his security and hence he needs an armed cover, they said.

The CISF has a special VIP security wing and it secures around 60 dignitaries like National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat.

The 24-year-old Patel had on Wednesday declared the support of PAAS for the Congress in the Gujarat assembly elections next month after the latter accepted its demand for reservation for the Patel community.

Elections in Gujarat will be held on December 9 and 14.
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Fine with Congress' reservation options: Hardik amidst alleged sex CD leaks

An alleged sex video of 24-year-old pro-reservation Patidar leader Hardik Patel was telecast on local Gujarati TV channels here on Monday, with the firebrand youngster laughing it away as an expected ploy to defame him though it heated up the political climate in poll-bound Gujarat.

The video shows a Hardik Patel-lookalike with an unidentified woman, fully clothed and with her back to the camera, and then the room turns dark.

Reacting, Patel said, "I had been saying for some time that all such dirty things, including such a video, would be flung at me, but I don't care and I will continue my fight against the BJP."

Coming down heavily upon the saffron party, the Patidar leader said that using women to stay in power is shameless.

"In coming days, I think people will threat women or bribe them to get indulge in such activities. I am serving for people and I don't care of such kind of politics. All I have to say is that please don't play with any women's character by using such kind of video," he added.

Earlier, Patel took to Twitter and said that the women of Gujarat have been insulted by the filthy politics.
His supporters claimed the video was morphed.

Patel said it was a conspiracy against him by the ruling BJP, which was "known to be adept at this".

He pointed out that sometime ago, BJP insiders floated such a video of one of their own leaders Sanjay Joshi.
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Sex CD leak: Hardik Patel says it's BJP's 'dirty politics'

Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) convener Hardik Patel on Monday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of releasing the alleged sex CD to dent his image.

A CD of the Patidar leader has surfaced on social media, in which he can be seen with a woman in a room.

Speaking to media, Patel said that the video has been released to malign his image in the light of the upcoming elections in the state.

"This was very pathetic allegation levelled against me. I am not worried about my reputation but about the woman. This kind of politics is not expected. Gujarat women should wake up and do something against random people using videos like this. This was panned by BJP to secure around 50 seats in the election but I don't care," he said.

Coming down heavily upon the saffron party, the Patidar leader said that using women to stay in power is shameless.

"In coming days, I think people will threat women or bribe them to get indulge in such activities. I am serving for people and I don't care of such kind of politics. All I have to say is that please don't play with any women's character by using such kind of video," he added.
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Gujarat polls: Congress offers Patidar community 3 options for quota

Congress gave three options to the Hardik Patel-led Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) at a late night meeting here with respect to latter's quota demand for its community, even as the organisation members said they would consult their leaders and legal experts before taking a decision.

The options were conveyed to the PASS members by senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal at the meeting which took place at 11:30 PM and ended at about 2 AM.

"We have been given three options by the Congress party on how to provide reservation to our community in educational institutions and government jobs," PAAS convener Dinesh Bambhania said after the meeting.

He, however, did not divulge the details of the options.

"The options that have been given will be kept confidential till we discuss it with Hardik, social leaders of the community, legal experts and then it would be kept before our community. If the community accepts the demand, we will convey it accordingly to the Congress party," Bambhania said.

He said, "The Congress proposal has not touched 49 per cent reservations for SC, ST and OBC which exists in the state. The options that have been given are over and above it."

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Patidar-Congress meet ends without agreement on quota for Patels

Members of the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti met Gujarat Congress leaders today but no agreement could be reached on the assurance about quotas for the Patels, a precondition set by PAAS leader Hardik Patel for extending support to the party in the Assembly polls.

After the meeting at the Congress's state headquarters which lasted three hours, PAAS leaders said they will hold another round of discussion by November 7 to resolve the issue.

Hardik Patel, who skipped the meeting, said the next round of negotiations will be the final.

"If we have been fighting for reservation in government jobs and educational institutions for two-and-a-half years, then waiting for a few days is no a big deal. But the next meeting on the issue will be the last and final," he told reporters.

Hardik Patel had last Saturday threatened to disrupt Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi's proposed rally in Surat if the main opposition party in Gujarat did not make clear how it will provide quotas to the Patidar community. However, today he said he will not oppose Rahul Gandhi's rally.

Gandhi is scheduled to campaign in poll-bound Gujarat from November 1 to 3. Patel said he will take the final call on meeting Gandhi after consulting the core committee of the PAAS.
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