The rise of 22-year-old Hardik Patel is simply astronomical. In just six months of their agitation, the Patel community of Gujarat has embraced him as their supreme leader. Soft-spoken Patel is always accessible for his comrades and has successfully maintained a close relation with media in the state so far. While interacting with Free Press Journal on August 25 and August 26, even though Gujarat has been facing its worst violence since 2002, Hardik was calm and composed and never thought twice before responding to the sharp questions. Here follows the excerpts of his telephonic interview with Joydeep R Ray.
Q: The state is burning, paramilitary forces have been deployed, Army too has been called while sporadic violence continues in at least six districts and the state administration blames you and your Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS). Your take?
A: I had been communicating with the state government since a week before our mega rally in Ahmedabad, that if police tries to stop our people from attending the rally or even they are hassled, violence will erupt. The state administration did not take us seriously. Though 30% of the members of Anandiben’s cabinet are Patels, still they did not realise our strength. Nothing can stop us from getting OBC status for ourselves, it is a long-standing demand. Either you give us or forget us when it comes to elections less than two years from now. The state government is to be blamed for the violence, not PAAS.
Q: Properties have been damaged worth crores, valuable lives are lost, Gujarat has been witnessing worst violence since 2002 communal riots and state government believes that this has happened due to your agitation. Do you take the responsibility for this lawlessness?
A: Tomey paagal chho? (Are you insane?). Can’t you see in television footage how Patels were mercilessly beaten up by the police and how they tried to stop us from holding peaceful agitation? They instigated it, thinking later we can be easily blamed but millions of Patels in Gujarat and abroad are not fools. They know how even being a Patel herself, Anandiben has been ignoring legitimate demand of PAAS. I am not alone, I have lakhs and crores of people with me. It is the second struggle for independence for us after 1947.
Q: Violence has made even the Prime Minister to send a message seeking peace in the state where he was the chief minister for over 10 years. Will PM’s intervention make any difference in your agitation?
A: Has PM talked anything about our demands? He did not. We did not indulge into lawlessness. CM’s policemen did it and bureaucrats. We respect the PM, we respect the constitution and our demands are protected by the constitution of India.
Q: Hardikbhai, but there is no legal provision which can allow OBC status to Patels and this has been time and again clarified by Gujarat government. So is it not foolish to continue with the agitation?
A: (laughs out loud) Well, for someone like Yakub (Memon) we open Supreme Court at 3 in the morning and we even drag out top lawyers like Mukul Rohatgi to the SC during wee hours. Justices drive cars to reach the highest court to hold urgent hearing on a subject, which is related to terrorism directly, has it been a convention or law? No. Then why law cannot be amended for protection of our interests. Or law is only for the terrorists, you think and reply now to my question.
Q: What is the next step?
A: Agitation will continue and we will always insist on peaceful agitation. But then state has to give the guarantee of no interference of their police administration, half of whom are Patel, to tell you the truth. If state goes by non-violence policy, we will go by that. If they behave insane, Patels are not fools and they are bound to react.
Q: Some of your critics say you are being supported by Congress and also some of the BJP leaders including people belonging to the camp of former Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel. How much is the truth in it?
A: We have blessings of all the Patels and they may belong to various political outfits. There is no specific outfit or leader from other parties supporting us, you put it on record.
Q: The CM has been asking you and PAAS leader to turn up for talks. Why have not you attending it and sort out issues through dialogues?
A: One side Anandiben is saying she won’t give us OBC status, other side she says dialogues may happen. Could the big leaders of India sort our Kashmir issue through dialogues? Everything comes at a price. Our agitation will now further intensify and will not get over till we get what we want.
Q: Will you be open to talks with the Prime Minister?
A: We have not decided anything on this as yet.
Q: What is the future of Hardik Patel? Will you be contesting next elections?
A: (laughs) Not at all, I am working on a cause of the community, nothing personal. No such ambition. I don’t wish to be an MP or MLA and roam around in air-conditioned cars and gun-totting securitymen. I am from grass-root and let me be here like this, as one of the lakhs of protestors.
Q: Any message that you wish to convey to your comrades?
A: Yes, let us go with our decided path of protests but peaceful protests. We should avoid being provoked by the state administration and get entrapped. We should take the path of Sardar Patel, press for our demand peacefully and get it.
