Hardik Patel targets PM: BJP using new techniques so saheb doesn’t lose
Hardik Patel said: “They (BJP leaders) are accusing (Congress vice-president) Rahul Gandhi of doing politics in Gujarat. So why is Modi coming to Gujarat every now and then? Is he coming to spray pesticides in fields in Saurashtra?”
Hardik Patel addresses a public rally in Sarbhan in Aamod taluka of Bharuch district on Tuesday (Express Photo/Bhupendra Rana)
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In his first public meeting after the controversial videos went viral, Patidar quota leader Hardik Patel on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the ruling BJP. Referring to the videos that have been circulating since Monday, Hardik said, “New techniques are being used by them (BJP) to ensure that saheb (Modi) does not lose in Gujarat.”
On Tuesday, more videos surfaced on social media and television channels purportedly showing Hardik Patel “drinking” in company of a girl and three other men. “Now they have resorted to defame me. I don’t care. My focus is on the fight for farmers and youths. Yes, if they have anything personal against me, I will deal with it. It happens in politics,” Hardik said at a huge gathering at Sarbhan village in Bharuch district.
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The BJP, meanwhile, was quick to distance itself from the videos. To the BJP’s charge that he had struck a “deal” with the Congress, Hardik said, “I have not done any sauda (dealings) with anyone. I am fighting with all my strength. I don’t have talent like (Chief Minister Vijay) Rupani and (BJP minister Parshottam) Rupala. I can go to jail, come out and fight again.”
The PAAS leader, whose outfit is in talks with the Congress over the quota demand, said: “They (BJP leaders) are accusing (Congress vice-president) Rahul Gandhi of doing politics in Gujarat. So why is Modi coming to Gujarat every now and then? Is he coming to spray pesticides in fields in Saurashtra?”
He insisted that neither the BJP nor the Congress was “ours”, but “those who speak of our issues and discuss reservation, must be given power”. Accusing the BJP government of failing to address the issue of farmers, he said, “I am learning about your issues here through my visit. I don’t have the talent like him (Modi) to say that I have a long association with every place I visit.”
He also took up the issue of the unsold groundnut, and alleged nepotism in the government procurement of the oilseed. “The government procured yield from those who had settings. You line up trucks at the APMCs, pay the rent and return empty handed to feed your harvest to cows,” he said.
The Patidar leader also did not spare former chief minister Anandiben Patel who was heading the government when he had launched the agitation for Patidar reservation in jobs and education. “In the 1970s, my father drove a car to take Anandiben Patel around Viramgam as no one was willing to lend their cars to her. Today, she has a fleet of cars,” he said.
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“When we asked for reservation in education and government jobs, they killed 14 of our youths, tortured our women. They behaved as if we have asked for five CMs of their states,” he said. He accused the BJP of trying to weaken the agitation by booking him in two sedition cases “which has provision for capital punishment”. “If they (BJP) really want to talk of vikas (development), then why do they resort to communalism? What did you do for Gujarat in the last 22 years?” he said. “It’s BJP’s old technique. Lie, and lie with conviction. Repeat your lie and innocent Gujaratis will fall for it and believe it to be true,” he said.
Aditi Raja is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express, stationed in Vadodara, Gujarat. Her extensive and varied beat coverage across Central Gujarat and the Narmada districts establishes her as a highly Authoritative and Trustworthy source on regional politics, administration, and critical socio-economic and environmental issues.
Experience
Senior Role: As an Assistant Editor at a national publication like The Indian Express, Aditi Raja holds a senior position that signifies editorial oversight and commitment to factual, in-depth reporting.
Core Authority & Specialization: Her reporting is characterized by a comprehensive grasp of the complex factors shaping Central Gujarat, including:
Politics and Administration: Provides sharp scrutiny of state governance, political figures (e.g., coverage of political events and speeches by leaders like JP Nadda), and bureaucratic decisions, including issues like officer protests against political pressure.
Crucial Regional Projects: Demonstrates high Expertise in the socio-economic and political dimensions of major regional initiatives, specifically the Statue of Unity and the Sardar Sarovar Project on the Narmada River, including related development, environmental, and resettlement issues.
Social Justice and Human Rights: Offers deep coverage of sensitive human-interest topics, including gender, crime, and tribal issues. Her reports cover legal proceedings (e.g., the Bilkis Bano case remission, POCSO court orders), the plight of tribal communities, and broader social conflicts (e.g., Kheda flogging case).
Local Impact & Disaster Reporting: Excels in documenting the immediate impact of events on communities, such as the political and civic fallout of the Vadodara floods, the subsequent public anger, and the long-delayed river redevelopment projects.
Special Interest Beat: She tracks the activities and concerns of Non-Resident Gujaratis (NRIs), connecting the local Gujarati experience to the global diaspora. ... Read More
