Patidars' 'jail bharo andolan' rally turns violent, curfew imposed in Mehsana

Mobile Internet, SMS services suspended; Leading agitating group PAAS calls for Gujarat bandh on Monday

With the Patidar community rally in Mehsana, part of a resurgent ‘jail bharo andolan’ (fill the jails) in several cities, turning violent on Sunday afternoon after a clash with police, curfew was imposed in the home district of Gujarat chief minister Anandiben Patel. Considered a centre of the Patidar (Patel community) agitation for reservations, Mehsana saw mobile, internet and SMS services being suspended, along with those in other cities such as Surat, Rajkot and Sabarkantha, besides parts of Ahmedabad.  

The Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti,  spearheading the stir, called for a state-wide bandh on Monday. The fill-the-jails campaign on Sunday was to demand the release from custody of 22-year-old Hardik Patel, face of the Patel quota stir that has gained momentum since August last year. He is currently under arrest on a charge of sedition. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the rally was headed towards the district police headquarters in Mehsana when the force tried to stop it, resulting in a lathi charge and clashes.

Around 400 agitators were detained, including Lalji Patel, leader of another Patidar agitating group, Sardar Patel Group. Lalji Patel also suffered injuries. The detention of some community leaders saw Patidar youths vandalising public property such as state transport buses and police vehicles. Curfew in Mehsana continues till Monday morning.

Earlier, Lalji Patel had alleged the BJP followed "double standards" on reservation. It had accepted the demand for Jat reservation in Haryana but rejected it for Patidars in Gujarat.