Mother of Patidar youth killed during quota stir among few in colony to vote for Cong

The Congress has fielded senior lawyer Babubhai Mangukia from Thakkarbapanagar who had represented Prabhaben and other Patidars in the High Court in their legal battle for “justice”.

Prabhaben Patel at her house. (Express Photo: Satish Jha)

Prabhaben Patel, in her mid 50s, was ready to cast her vote since 9 o’clock in the morning, but was waiting for a helping hand to take her husband, who is paralysed, to the voting booth located at a stone’s throw away from her house at Matru Krupa Society in Thakkarbapanagar Assembly seat in Ahmedabad. Two years ago, this residential society was at the centre of the violent Patidar quota agitation — spearheaded by Hardik Patel — in which Prabhaben’s only son, Shwetang, was killed.

There are two posters at the entrance of her house that reminds passersby of the violence, which followed police action. One of the posters has pictures of 14 Patidar youths who were killed during the agitation in various parts of the state. “Don’t forget the atrocities, Don’t vote for BJP,” reads the poster. Another poster states, “Don’t just throw them out, but burry them”. This poster has pictures of police lathicharge on Patidar men and women. But in the neighbourhood, dominated by Patidars, such posters are missing.

“I had voted for the BJP in 2012 (Assembly polls). Now, I will vote for the Congress because BJP murdered my son. They gave me Rs 4 lakh and that too after several complaints and media reports. I met Hardik on Wednesday evening and assured him of my vote. Vallabhbhai Kakadiya (BJP candidate) came today morning, but I won’t change my decision,” a determined Prabhaben says.

The Congress has fielded senior lawyer Babubhai Mangukia from Thakkarbapanagar who had represented Prabhaben and other Patidars in the High Court in their legal battle for “justice”.

Mangukia had visited the area at the peak of the quota agitation. He later went on to represent Hardik Patel in several cases, including sedition charges. It was Mangukia who had filed a habeas corpus petition in the High Court alleging that Hardik has been abducted by the police, which later turned out to be a false case. Later, Hardik stopped taking legal help from Mangukia.

In Prabhaben’s colony, most of the Patidars have come from Saurashtra. But the community here is divided on political lines.

“Only a quarter of residents (of the society) and that too youngsters may vote for the Congress. The rest are with the BJP. The parents of these youngsters will certainly vote for the BJP. I think the BJP candidate will win, but with a slender margin unlike last time,” says 61-year-old Dhanjibhai Patel, a resident of the society, who retired from government service. His neighbour, Manubhai Patel, nods in agreement.

Story continues below this ad

In 2012 polls, BJP had won from the seat by over 49,000 votes.

Nihal Patel, a 21-year-old student of pharmacy, doesn’t hide his preference. “It is the BJP of course. It is because of them that we have been living in peace. The demand of reservation for the OBC is a personal agenda of Hardik Patel,” he says. Outside the polling booth, where Prabhaben voted, Harshad and Nishant, both in their early 20s, do not hide their political choice. “Hardik has gone against the BJP only for being in limelight,” they say.