Surat: 32 PAAS members detained

Addressing North Gujarat Patidars, Nitin Patel said, “The time has come when Patidar should get united and work in the direction of the development of the state and the country. We are the descendants of the Iron Man of India, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. The Patidars believe in unity, not in division.”

He added, “I am happy with the responsibilities given to me by the state government. We are making roads in the villages in north Gujarat and those who have bad roads in their villages should contact me and we will work on it.”

Surat city police commissioner Satish Sharma said, “We don’t want any disturbances in the city and we have taken action after the announcement was made by PAAS convenor Hardik Patel that PAAS members will oppose and protest the public meeting of deputy CM Nitin Patel in Surat.”

In Surat, Nitin Patel inaugurated the Tena creek bridge that join two talukas — Olpad and Choryasi. Addressing the gathering, he said that it was the dream of former BJP Choryasi MLA late Raja Patel and Olpad BJP MLA Mukesh Patel. Current Choryasi MLA and Raja Patel’s daughter was present at the inauguration.

The deputy CM requested the people of Olpad and Choryasi not to forget BJP when the time came and support it for its development work. The deputy CM also laid the foundation stones of different development projects worth Rs. 175 crore like bridges on creeks, making roads broader in Surat district.

He added, “There is no other source of the income for the villagers of Olpad taluka, except farming. For that, we have spent hundreds of crores of rupees behind repairing work of canal which starts from Ukai dam. On the request and representations of leaders of Olpad, we have freed many villages which were earlier planned to get included in SUDA limit. We are also coming up with more development works for Surat district. But you have to remember our works and when time comes to support us, you should remember this.”