Hardik Patel during his indefinite fast on Saturday (Source: Twitter/@HardikPatel_) Hardik Patel during his indefinite fast on Saturday (Source: Twitter/@HardikPatel_)

At least 251 people going to extend support to Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) leader Hardik Patel, who began an indefinite hunger strike from his home on Saturday, were detained from various parts of Gujarat Sunday.

Denied permission to hold the fast in a public place, Hardik sat outside his home amid police security. Police said no offence was lodged till 6 pm and no one was arrested.

Independent MLA Jignesh Mevani was among those who reached the venue to extend support to Hardik. Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee spokesman Badruddin Shaikh also reached the protest venue to express solidarity with Hardik but “not as a Congress leader”. He said he had gone there as president of Ahmedabad Muslim Graduates Association.

Jignesh Mevani with Hardik Patel in Ahmedabad. (Source: Twitter/@HardikPatel_) Jignesh Mevani with Hardik Patel in Ahmedabad. (Source: Twitter/@HardikPatel_)

Earlier in the day, Hardik tweeted, “There is nothing in the name of Constitution and law happening in Gujarat. BJP and the entire Police force are holding Gujarat hostage. please help”.

ADGP, Law and Order, Sanjay Srivastava said that by 6 pm, a total of 251 persons had been detained from various places. The maximum number of detention was reported from Vadali and Idar taluka of Sabarkantha district where 66 persons were detained.

Ahmedabad and Surat cities saw heavy police patrolling in Patidar-dominated areas.

Senior police officers said that most of the detained persons were PAAS leaders, who would have mobilised the crowd. They said that many of these leaders were identified as they had been arrested in previous agitations earlier. “The idea was not to let the crowd swell and we successfully prevented such assemblies,” an officer said.

READ | Two Congress leaders allege police vigil over Hardik Patel’s indefinite fast

In Surat, 23 PAAS supporters and four Congress municipal corporators, including two women, were detained from different areas in the city, even as the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) diverted all BRTS and city buses from Patidar-dominated areas to avoid untoward incidents.

Dinesh Kacchadiya, Daksha Bhuva from municipal ward no. 5 (Phoolpada Ashwanikumar), and Nilesh Kumbhani and Sonalben Desai both from ward no. 15 (Puna West) were picked up from their homes in Surat on Saturday, and taken to different police stations and kept under detention for whole day. They were released in the evening. Police also picked up several active members of PAAS from their homes and kept them at different police stations, before releasing them in the evening.

Last Sunday, Surat city witnessed violence in which two buses were damaged and one set on fire by Patidar youths in Varachha area over arrest of Hardik by Ahmedabad police.

To avoid a repeat of the violence, a large number of policemen were deployed at different locations in Patidar-dominated areas in Surat like Katargam, Varachha, Sarthana, Kapodara, Punagam, Yogi chowk.

Assistant Commissioner of Police J K Pandya said, “Our police teams have picked up 27 youths from different areas in the city and they had been kept under detention for whole day, as a preventive measure, keeping in mind their earlier history of involvement in protest. Four municipal councillors of Congress, including two female councillors, who supported the PAAS movement, were detained. Our motive was to maintain peaceful atmosphere.”

Slamming the police for the detention, Dinesh Kachhadia said, “We are fed up of police movement as every now and then they pick us and keep under detention for whole day. Even during prime minister or chief minister visits, the cops come to my house and detain me. It seems that we are not living in a democratic country, our rights to protest peacefully has been snatched away.”

Addressing a press conference in Gandhinagar, Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), state Intelligence Bureau, R B Brahmbhatt told reporters that PAAS leaders were not given permission to hold the fast because of what happened in August 2015 when they went on a rampage in the state. He also said: “A rumour was spread in the morning that 16,000 PAAS members were detained by the police which is a complete lie.”

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