Ahmedabad: The Gujarat government has withdrawn 10 cases lodged in connection with the Patidar agitation of 2015. As per sources, two charges against the leader Hardik Patel that arose as a result of the agitation for 10 percent quota for the Patidars, have been dropped while Geeta Patel, another leader of the Patidars, has also been granted respite. However, a treason case is still pending against Hardik.
Patidar community has been staging public rallies across Gujarat since July 2015 in support of the status of Other Backward Classes (OBCs). Hardik Patel and other leaders spearheaded the movement, which was organised by the Patidar Reserve Movement Committee. Three cases will be heard in a local court in Ahmedabad on April 15.
Initially, 485 of these cases were rejected as unsustainable. Later, the authorities developed a list of 235 cases. As many as 48 cases have been dropped so far, with 187 still pending. According to Hardik Patel, the government assured the Patel community that all the cases would be dropped. There were 497 charges filed against the Patidars of which 247 have been dropped. The leaders have given the government till March 23 to drop the charges against the Patidar leaders.
"I am optimistic that the government will return the case. If you don't, you'll pay the price. Only after observing the Patidars' solidarity has the government decided to drop the lawsuit," Hardik said. "Our desire was for the agitators, not the criminals. We will make the government pay the price if the remaining cases are not withdrawn quickly; else, it will be bitter," he said. The withdrawal of the cases comes ahead of the Gujarat assembly polls scheduled this year.
Geetaben Patel, reacting to the state government dropping proceedings claimed that out of 150 cases in Gujarat, "only 7 to 10 cases were withdrawn today".
Also read: Withdraw case against Patidar youth or be prepared for agitation: Congress Leader Hardik Patel
