Hardik Patel seeks to meet PM Modi to discuss Patidar quota

Hardik Patel during his visit to Surat Crime Branch. Hanif Malek

PAAS convener Hardik Patel on Thursday said that he wished to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Surat on April 16-17 to make representations on the issue of reservation for the Patidar community. He said, “If the reservation issue is sorted out, we will put an end to the ongoing agitation.”

Patel spoke to The Indian Express while visiting the Surat crime branch as part of a condition stated for bail in a sedition case. “We have made representations to political leaders of Gujarat, and we now wish to put forth our issue before the Prime Minister during his visit to Surat for the sake of our community. We will write a letter to the Surat district collector and will request him to arrange a meeting with the Prime Minister. If we get a chance, we will make representations on the issue of reservation for the Patidars… If the reservation issue is sorted out then we will call off the agitation,” he said.

Meanwhile, Patel’s lawyer submitted a plea to discharge the Patidar leader and two others — Chirag Desai and Vipul Desai — fron the sedition case before the Surat district court. The hearing has been fixed on April 13.