‘Annihilation of town’s identity’: Karamsad shuts down to protest inclusion under Anand civic body

Monday’s bandh followed a protest rally held by the Sardar Samman Sankalp Andolan Samiti on Sunday. Significant parts of Karamsad town saw shutters down in shops as well as schools run by the trust associated with the samiti even as police was deployed to ensure peace in the area.

Sardar Samman Sankalp Andolan Committee Chairman Mithilesh Amin alleged that the government had “cheated, and betrayed” Sardar Patel. “The Narendra Modi-led BJP government banks on the image of Sardar Patel and (leaders) repeatedly visit Karamsad to entice voters. But they annihilated the identity of the place that Sardar Patel belonged to by including it in the Anand Municipal Corporation. It is our demand that Karamsad should be given a special status and identity of its own,” Amin said.

While the Samiti claimed that the decision was “taken overnight, keeping people in the dark”, senior officials of Anand District told The Indian Express that the jurisdiction of Anand Municipal Corporation had been decided in 2021-22 and Karamsad had been a part of
the civic body area since the first proposal.

BJP Anand district President Rajesh Patel said that the protests were held for “political mileage”. “Karamsad will stand to benefit from being under the Anand Municipal Corporation and see the much-needed development. The protests are led by a handful of people who have vested interests. The decision to include Karamsad under the civic-body is not a new one,” said Rajesh, who is also the Bharat Patidar Samaj secretary — the apex body of the Chh Gam Patidar community of which Karamsad is a part.

Sardar Patel, who was born in Nadiad in the adjoining Kheda district, grew up in Karamsad while his older brother Vithalbhai Patel lived in Karamsad. A memorial dedicated to the Iron Man of India is located in Karamsad town.