Patels to sell scrap to fund quota stir

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Hardik, convener of the Samiti, has eight FIRs against him, including two for sedition. He is currently in custody of the Ahmedabad crime branch along with other PAAS members Chirag Patel, Dinesh Bhambhaniya and Ketan Patel.

Police got information about the quota stir sponsors from the call data records of the mobile phones seized from the Patidar leaders who were arrested from Mangadh Chowk in Surat on September 19, sources said. After this development, many people who funded the Samiti backed out.

Later, Surat leaders of the Samiti formed Patidar Youth Brigade and sent out WhatsApp messages to community members in Varachha and Katargam areas for scrap collection. The Samiti also put up banners at Patidar-dominated societies, seeking support for the new fundraising idea.

“There are over 10 lakh Patidar Patels in different residential societies in Varachha, Katargam and other areas of the city. Now a days, we are facing a fund crunch due to the state government’s threat of action against those who support the Patidar movement financially. By selling old newspapers and other waste items, collected from the Patidar Patel houses, we will generate good money,” said co-convener of the Samiti Dharmik Malaviya.

“Ahead of Diwali, Patidar women anyway clean their homes and sell scrap in the market. Through these banners, we have requested Patidar women in Surat to take out the scrap, books and newspapers and stock it near the main gates of their residential societies. Our youth brigade will collect the scrap in the night. We have also set up five collection centres in Varachha and rented godowns to stock these wastes,” Malaviya added.

In view of the upcoming local body elections, banners have been put up outside the Patidar-dominated societies in various districts denying entry to BJP leaders seeking votes.

At Delwada village in Mehsana, a banner has come up defending NOTA. The State Election Commission had kept the NOTA option out of the local body elections – an issue being taken up by the Patidars.

Co-convenor of the Samiti in Surat Nikhil Sawani said, “Earlier, we worked for BJP in campaigning using the social media. Even we used to spend our own money to put BJP desks in the Patel societies. With the government using police force against us, this time we will not allow BJP desks in the Patidar residential societies. We have got support from our community people and we will show Patel power in the upcoming local body elections.”

BJP, however, appeared unperturbed. Its Surat general secretary Lalit Vekariya, also a Patidar, said, “In the last couple of months, we have seen a small section of the Patidar community being involved with this quota movement in hope of some gains. Most Patidars are still with BJP.

“About the banners on main gates of the residential societies, we try to contact them and listen to their issues. We know that a section in our community is unhappy, but they will come back to us (BJP).”