T
he Gujarat Assembly election in
December is sure to be keenly
followed across the country. Prime
Minister Narendra Modi and BJP
president Amit Shah will want to win
with a clear margin on home turf. It
will be a litmus test for Rahul Gandhi.
More so, because the Congress feels it
can return to power in Gujarat after
22 years.
Amid all this, there is 24-year-old
Hardik Patel from Viramgam, whose
support could prove crucial. Though
he has announced that he will not
contest the elections, Patel has been a
busy man. In rallies and public meet-
ings across the state, he has beenexhorting the masses to dethrone the
BJP, calling it “mahachor”. He said he
would take the support of “chor” (the
Congress) to dethrone “mahachor”.
Patel spoke to THE WEEK before
starting on a roadshow in Bhavnagar
on October 29. Edited excerpts:
Why is reservation under
Economically Backward Category
not acceptable?
There is no problem with the EBC if
it is constitutional. If we do not get it
constitutionally, then what the BJP
government in Gujarat has done is
not acceptable.
How long will the agitation
continue?
It is a marathon. It will continue till
we get victory.
What if both the BJP and the
Congress do not accept your
demands?
They will. The ones who want to
come to power will surely accept.
So far you have not got affi rmation
from any party about reservation.
We have a meeting [with the
Congress]. Things will be clear soon.
Have you given suggestions as to
how reservation should be given?
We have given points. These are
acceptable to them [the Congress].
Things will be clear.
You asked people to dethrone the
BJP. However, you did not ask them
to vote for the Congress.
If the Congress does good, people
will automatically vote for them. In
the 2015 panchayat elections, people
voted for the Congress on their own.
Will your support the Congress
conditionally?
If the Congress totally supports res-
ervation, then there will be total sup-
port, directly or indirectly.
Will you openly tell people to vote
for the Congress?
I will say don’t vote for the BJP.
You are against the BJP, so are OBC
leader Alpesh Thakore, who joined
the Congress, and dalit leader Jignesh
Mevani. Thakore had opposed the
Patidars getting reservation under
OBC category. Can three swords
remain in one sheath?It all depends on whether the sword
is sharp or not. Alpesh is now a
Congress leader. He has to decide
how a solution can be found. Jignesh
has never opposed reservation. He
has said that Patels should get reser-
vation without damage to other com-
munities. We also believe that.
What impact will you three leaders
have on the upcoming election?
This is not our election. This election
is fought by six crore people of Gujarat
against those who are arrogant and
have always used people. And, in this
[election], six crore people will fight
the BJP.
Are Leuva Patidars with you?
We are Patidars. We do not believe in
Leuva Patidars and Kadva Patidars.
Then, why you don’t get as much
support from Central Gujarat?
We do get support. All are NRIs. They
will get scared of their [the govern-
ment’s] high-handedness. That their
passports will be confiscated. Wrong
cases are filed. Actually, all are with
us.
Will it refl ect when they vote?
It did happen in taluka and district
panchayat polls.
Will there be a repeat of that?
Yes.
Will PAAS workers contest
elections on Congress tickets or as
independents?
If anybody wants to contest elections,
they are free to do so. We have said
this earlier. I believe they will remain
with the society, ask and then take a
decision.
Will you join the Congress?
No.
Patidars had opposed reservation in
the early 1980s. What has changed?
Land has gone, there is unemploy-
ment, education has become costly,
there is corruption in the education
system. There are no jobs. If you want
a job you have to pay 0 25 lakh.
What impact will the two-and-a-
half-year-old Patidar agitation have
on this election?
It has brought about a social revolu-
tion. Society has become more aware.
It will bring about political change.THE WEEK NOVEMBER 12, 2017^23Interview/Hardik Patel,
convener, Patidar Anamat
Andolan SamitiThe people
will fight
the BJP
JANAK PATEL