New Delhi

Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti head Hardik Patel today faced opposition from a section of Gujjar leaders during his felicitation at Kotla’s Gujjar Bhawan.

A Gujjar leader Rajendra Mawi, claiming to be the president of Akhil Bhartiya Gujjar Mahasangh, interrupted Patel’s speech, accusing him of extending support to the Jats’ demand for reservation. Mawi was finally pushed and shoved out of the hall.

Speaking to media persons outside the hall, Mawi said Hardik was responsible for killing of 10 persons in Gujarat.

Mawi said Hardik Patel has naxal mindset and there’s surely some naxal power behind him. The truth will come out in month or two, he added.

He said 72 Gurjars were killed in quota agitation but Gurjars didn’t get quota, while Jat got quota without a single person getting killed.

Mawi said this in reference to political dominance of Patels, and added that Patels should talk to the Anandiben Patel government in Gujarat and Modi Government for fulfilment of their demand.

“In Gujarat Patels ran governments in the past and even now they have a Patel chief minister. At the Centre too Gujarat has a say and they should talk with the state government and Centre,” he said.

“There are Patel officers, MPs, Hardik can’t get reservation by holding talk with them? He wants to become hero and travel across the country as hero,” he said.

“We are opposed to him and we are not with him. How can we support him when he is also supporting the demand for Jat reservation,” Mawi said.

He said the reservation for Jats had been struck down by the court on the petitions filed by different OBC communities including Gujjars and now Patel was supporting their demand.

Gujjars and Jats have been traditional rivals in several states of the Hindi heartland.

Mawi said if Patels start replacing their surname with Kurmi, they will get reservation benefits, what a big deal in this?

Mawi said today’s programme has not been organized by Gurjars, and it is organized by someone else. Gurjars have gathered here due to curiosity.

In another development, invitation to Hardik Patel was withdrawn by Gurjar – Kurmi – Maratha Maha Sangh. Hardik who was earlier scheduled to attend this meeting was asked not to attend it. Maha Sangh’s meeting proceeded without having Hardik Patel as participant. The organizers were against Hardik’s comment that either reservation to Patidars or reservation to none.

With inputs from PTI