Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) leader, Hardik Patel. (Express Photo by Javed Raja) Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) leader, Hardik Patel. (Express Photo by Javed Raja)

Patidar leader Hardik Patel on Friday announced a “lollipop movement” to express displeasure over the Gujarat government’s package for students belonging to the Economically Weaker Section (EWS). The announcement came a day after the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti convener gave an undertaking in the Gujarat High Court that he would not resort to any agitation till September 29.

There were reports of people in Rajkot already kicking off the “lollipop movement”. Hardik was in Rajkot on Friday.

Hardik alleged the Rs1,000-crore package or the Mukhyamantri Yuva Swavalamban Yojana does not offer anything substantial to the Patel community. “The Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti will register its protest against the new scheme announced by the Gujarat government by giving lollipops to the people in villages and talukas across the state,” Hardik said. “Lollipops will be given to all the Patidars (Patels) on roads of the villages and talukas,” he added.

He also appealed to his community members to observe August 25 as ‘Patidar (Patel) Revolution Day’ and August 26 as ‘Martyrs’ Day’. A month ago on August 25, the Patel quota agitation had turned violent after Hardik’s detention during the community’s protest in Ahmedabad, which had resulted in the death of 10 people.

The Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee also criticised the state government over the package and called it mere an “appeasement” and rebranding of existing schemes. Party spokesperson Manish Doshi said the announcement of the package for education and employment was a reflection of deterioration in education standards and job creation in Gujarat.

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