An alleged sex video of 24-year-old pro-reservation Patidar leader Hardik Patel was telecast on local Gujarati TV channels here on Monday, with the firebrand youngster laughing it away as an expected ploy to defame him though it heated up the political climate in poll-bound Gujarat.
The video shows a Hardik Patel-lookalike with an unidentified woman, fully clothed and with her back to the camera, and then the room turns dark.
Reacting, Patel said, "I had been saying for some time that all such dirty things, including such a video, would be flung at me, but I don't care and I will continue my fight against the BJP."
Coming down heavily upon the saffron party, the Patidar leader said that using women to stay in power is shameless.
"In coming days, I think people will threat women or bribe them to get indulge in such activities. I am serving for people and I don't care of such kind of politics. All I have to say is that please don't play with any women's character by using such kind of video," he added.
Earlier, Patel took to Twitter and said that the women of Gujarat have been insulted by the filthy politics.
His supporters claimed the video was morphed.
Patel said it was a conspiracy against him by the ruling BJP, which was "known to be adept at this".
He pointed out that sometime ago, BJP insiders floated such a video of one of their own leaders Sanjay Joshi.
Patel with Congress?
On Monday, Hardik Patel expressed satisfaction over the three options given by the Congress on how the party would grant reservation to Patels if voted to power and said the community leaders will take a final call by tomorrow.
After studying various documents related to reservation given by the Congress earlier, Hardik claimed that it was a misconception that reservation cannot go beyond 50 per cent.
These options, backed by various provisions in the Constitution and past judgements by the Supreme Court, were submitted to the members of Hardik-led Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti(PAAS) on November 8 by senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal as part of party's promise that it would grant reservation to the community if voted to power.
"I held a detailed discussion with core PAAS members about the options given to us by Congress. After going through various documents and judgements, I now firmly believe that their formula is right. It is a misconception that reservation cannot go beyond 50 per cent," Hardik said.
He said it is not written anywhere in the Constitution that quota cannot go beyond 50 per cent.
Citing some past judgements by the Supreme Court, Hardik said the apex court had given contradictory judgements about reservation.
"In one instance, the SC said that quota can't go beyond 50 per cent. But, another judgement had said reservation beyond that limit can be granted by conducting a survey. Patel community in Madhya Pradesh was included under OBC quota in 1994. Similarly, Patidars in Gujarat can also get reservation," he told reporters.
