“This weekend, the Gujarati Samaj in the United States will be holding prayer meetings in temples across the United States for those who were killed in Gujarat during the Patidar agitation,” said Varun Patel, a member of the Lalji Patel-led Sardar Patel Group (SPG), one of the two groups leading the agitation for OBC reservation. “This weekend, the Gujarati Samaj in the United States will be holding prayer meetings in temples across the United States for those who were killed in Gujarat during the Patidar agitation,” said Varun Patel, a member of the Lalji Patel-led Sardar Patel Group (SPG), one of the two groups leading the agitation for OBC reservation.

To protest against “police atrocities” on Patidar community seeking reservation in Gujarat, the non-resident Gujaratis in the United States are planning to wave black flags and carry out a rally from the United Nations headquarters during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit. “This weekend, the Gujarati Samaj in the United States will be holding prayer meetings in temples across the United States for those who were killed in Gujarat during the Patidar agitation,” said Varun Patel, a member of the Lalji Patel-led Sardar Patel Group (SPG), one of the two groups leading the agitation for OBC reservation.

“Later, when PM Modi visits the US, the Gujarati Samaj will be wearing black clothes and waving black flags in protest,” said Patel, addressing mediapersons on Friday. He claimed that he was representing the Overseas Andolan Samiti which will be spearheading the agitation during Modi’s US visit.

“The permission has also been sought to hold a rally on September 24 which will start from the United Nations headquarters in New York to the Indian Consulate,” he said while talking about the 3.5 kilometre-long protest march that is expected to coincide with the PM’s visit. According to a spokesperson, a section of the Gujarati community in the US was unhappy with the “limited” entry being allowed to the Silicon Valley during PM Modi’s visit. “We have come to know that during PM’s visit to Silicon Valley, Gujaratis who do not have special approval will not be allowed to enter. What is the point if people living abroad cannot approach the PM and inform him about the issues plaguing them,” he added.

Patel also said that the members of the Gujarati Samaj in the United States have also asked the Indian Government to take steps against the police atrocities in Gujarat or they will approach the International Human Rights Commission. “We have also approached Bharat Barai (Chicago-based oncologist, who led the NRI global campaign for Modi in 2014), who collected about $30 lakh for PM Modi during his last US visit, to give $1 lakh each to the families of Patidars who were killed during the agitation in Gujarat,” he said.

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