Hardik Appoints 11-Member Committee Of PAAS To Lead Pro-Quota Stir

19 November, Ahmedabad

The 22-year-old convener of Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) Hardik Patel, in jail on sedition charges, has appointed an 11-member steering committee to guide and carry on pro-quota agitation to press for the demand of reservation in jobs and education for Patel community on par with the OBC.

Hardik handed over the list of 11 members of the steering committee to his father Bharat Patel while he was brought to the Surat district court yesterday. Hardik also released a list of 25 senior Patel community leaders who would be in an advisory role.

The steering committee has representatives from Ahmedabad, Surat, Junagadh, Dhoraji, Botad, Mehsana, Himmatnagar, Patan and Siddhpur all of which had played active part in the four-month-old pro-quota agitation and from where a large number of Patel youth have been arrested under various non-bailable offences.

Meanwhile, Hardik issued an appeal from inside the jail to Patel community members not to vote for BJP candidates in the coming civic and panchayat elections even if the candidates belonged to the Patel community.