Hardik Patel, who has been fighting for reservation for the Patel community, launched his party Akhil Bhartiya Patel Navnirman Sena on Wednesday, saying that it will be a platform for 27 crore members of the Patel, Kurmi and Gujjar communities, who are spread across 18 States.
Mr. Patel told the media that the party would hold 20 rallies across various States in October.
'Not supporting JD (U)'
“I am supporting Nitish and not his party.”
Mr. Patel reiterated his position saying that for several decades demeaning conditions have been inflicted on his community and the only answer to that was to offer them a share in the country’s reservation system.
On the Gujarat government’s announcement of a package for the economically backward category last week, Mr. Patel said what had been offered was a ‘lollipop.’
Justifying the rioting in which about 26 police stations were vandalised and nine of his community members were shot dead, Mr. Patel said it was the high-handedness of the police that forced his community members to resort to violence. “If they [cops] barge into our homes again,” said Mr. Patel, “we will fight back.”
Asked about RSS leader Mohan Bhagwat’s recent statement — which advocated a review of the reservation system — Mr. Patel said Mr. Bhagwat’s views were out of sync with what he stood for: To get a bigger share from the reservation system on the basis of population ratio.
