Looking to revive the Patel community OBC quota stir that lost steam following the arrest of its leaders, Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) convener Hardik Patel today appointed a new 'core committee' for the campaign.
Hardik is currently in jail in Surat, where he is facing a case of sedition. He formed the new core committee of PAAS to take forward the movement during his incarceration, said PAAS spokesperson Harikesh Patel.
Eleven conveners of PAAS were appointed as the members of this core committee, which will take decisions related to the agitation, the spokesperson said.
Hardik handed over the list of committee members to his father at a court in Surat.
"He took the judge's permission and handed over the list to his father. From now on, these 11 members will take decisions in the absence of Hardik and the three other conveners who, too, are behind the bars," said Harikesh.
This new group will work in coordination with 25 other PAAS conveners whom Hardik has appointed as 'advisers'.
The new core committee includes Nikhil Savani from Surat, Atul Patel from Ahmedabad, Ravi Patel from Himmatnagar and Kirit Patel from Patan.
PAAS at present has 144 conveners across Gujarat.
"Since these conveners live in various parts of the state, Hardik has constituted this new core committee to streamline our internal administration," added Harikesh.
Hardik and three of his key aides -- Ketan Patel, Dinesh Patel and Chirag Patel -- are facing charges of sedition and waging war against the government.
Hardik is lodged in Surat jail while the others, who were part of the previous core committee, are being held at Sabarmati jail here.
One of the close associates of Hardik, Pragnesh Patel,
who met Hardik several times in Lajpore jail, around 250 km from Ahmedabad, claimed he may have started the hunger strike since last evening.
"I have learned that Hardik did not take food from the home tiffin delivered by one of his relatives last evening. Today morning, when the relative once again went to give the tiffin, jail authorities told him about Hardik's hunger strike," said Pragnesh.
