Tuesday was a day of happenings for Gujarat.

Thousands of tribals seeking land from the government took out a rally in Ahmedabad. Patidar quota warrior Hardik Patel returned from a six-month-long “exile” in Rajasthan, immediately targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah. Lakhs of Patels also gathered near Rajkot to watch the unfurling of a huge tricolour atop their newly-built ₹60-crore temple, probably a first in India.

And Gujarat’s second fire-fighter Chief Minister since 2015, Vijay Rupani, visited Surat, where people have died in a suspected hooch tragedy.

Later in the day, Hardik, 23, was likely to seek the blessings of former CM Keshubhai Patel in Gandhinagar, before leaving for Maharashtra to attend programmes in Mumbai and Pune.

Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) convener Hardik, who, at the head of a nearly 500-strong cavalcade, entered the border town of Ratanpur in style, was received by an enthusiastic crowd of supporters. Even Dalit leader Jignesh Mewani, who earlier opposed quota to Patidars, reportedly garlanded him, saying “we are together, except in matters of our society’s interests (on protecting their reservation)”.

Wheels within wheels Before returning to Gujarat, in an interview with a news channel, Hardik took potshots at Modi, albeit indirectly. “Nobody can become a Mahatma just by turning a charkha (spinning wheel), nor can anybody wearing a mask become a lion,” he said.

On Tuesday afternoon, at a mammoth “ Hunkar (Roar) Rally” in Himmatnagar, he targeted Shah, again without naming him.

“During the British Raj, General Dyer killed those who sought freedom. Now we have a General Dyer who got 14 job-seeking youths killed,” he said, apparently referring to the police action against agitating Patidars in August 2015, for which the PAAS has blamed the BJP chief.

Reiterating his demand for reservation for the Patels under the OBC quota, he declared: “If you don’t give us the quota, we will snatch it away. If the government wishes, they can give us reservation in a day, but it is misguiding us by putting across various reasons for its inability to do so.”

“My first objective is to get reservation for Patidars and the second is to free our State from the rule of fear,” he added. However, he clarified that he did not have any personal ambitions and would be happy to see anyone present on the podium become the next CM, without hurting interests of the community.

In 2016, Hardik had been banished on “sedition” charges when he allegedly incited his supporters against the police. This time, however, he was careful.

“I don’t blame the police. It was not your fault. You, too, are ‘servants’ of your masters. In fact, you are in the fixed-salary group. I appeal to such policemen to support us in this agitation,” he said.

But he was also apprehensive of what might come next. “I am sure they will soon put me in the jail, again,” he said.

Hardik has been getting support from various anti-BJP groups. On Tuesday, the AAP put up posters in his support.

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