The Gujarat government on Saturday decided to withdraw 74 criminal cases filed against 382 Patidars involved in the quota stir, and termed it as a move to maintain “peace and harmony” in the state. Without naming Hardik Patel, leader of the agitation, it even said serious cases against the Patidars would be “reviewed”.

The state government also allowed members of the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) to hold a four-day dharna in Surat to press for the release of its convener Hardik from jail, following which five members of the outfit ended their indefinite fast.

Nitin Patel, Health Minister and also government spokesperson, said Chief Minister Anandiben Patel took into consideration the pleas of senior leaders of the Patidar community and made a decision “within 24 hours” for peace and harmony in the state. “The Home Department has been directed to implement the decision accordingly,” the minister said.

Overall, 457 cases have been registered against 1,750 people in 18 districts, the minister stated in an official release. Of these 1,736 have been released on bail, leaving only 14, facing serious charges, in prison, the minister said, without naming Hardik or other key leaders of the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS), who are currently in jail for sedition.

The government spokesperson said the government would take decision in a phased manner in other police cases. According to him, less serious cases would be withdrawn first, while the others would be reviewed on a “case-to-case” basis.

He also alleged that Opposition Congress was spreading misinformation saying hundreds of Patidars are still in state prisons. “The Opposition is trying the mislead people to take advantage of the situation, which must be stopped in its tracks,” the minister said.

Meanwhile, Congress offered a guarded welcome to the decision. The party’s national spokesman Shaktisinh Gohil said, “The government now has realised that it has filed false cases against PAAS workers, and therefore, it has to withdraw those cases… I welcome the good sense prevailing over the government, but it could be another lollypop if things stop here.”

In Surat, the state government allowed PAAS members to hold a four-day mega “dharna” in Sarthana area of Surat from Sunday. After persmission for the sit-in from the government, five members of the Samiti ended their indefinite hunger strike in presence of Surat mayor Ashmita Shiroya in the evening.

Talking to The Sunday Express, one of the agitating PAAS leaders Nikhil Sawani said, “We are happy that government had listened to our demands and gave us permission to carry out dharna programmes. We will sit on dharna and demand the government to release Hardik and other Patidar youths who are in jail.”

Meanwhile, in Vadodara, PAAS activists have been preparing their strategy for the second phase of the quota stir, which would likely include a relay fast beginning January 19.

As part of their ongoing protest against the BJP-led state government, youth leaders of the PAAS would also organise a blood donation camp in Padra in Vadodara on Sunday to pay tribute to Mayur Patel, who died on December 27 four months after he was hit by a bullet during the quota violence in August. The blood donation event would be orgnised at Muval in Padra taluka of Vadodara.

Vadodara PAAS convenor Paresh Patel said around 500 members of the community would be at the event. “We are having a meeting on January 10 in Godhra where the leaders will meet to decide the statewide strategy for the agitation,” he said.

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