The Gujarat government has decided to withdraw 182 additional cases filed against Patidars during the quota agitation last year, taking the total number of withdrawn cases to 391. A total of 438 cases had been lodged by the police against the protesters during their violent agitation last year.
A review committee headed by Chief Minister Anandiben Patel in its meeting on July 29, decided to withdraw 182 additional cases after the community leaders repeatedly urged the State government to “sympathetically review the cases,” the State information department informed the media.
“After discussion, the Chief Minister decided to withdraw around 90 per cent of the cases lodged against Patidar community members in connection with the quota agitation,” stated in a press release issued by the information department.
However, the cases of serious nature like sedition against Hardik Patel and his top aides are not included in this category of category of cases to be withdrawn.
The government had earlier ordered withdrawal of 155 cases. At a meeting on July 29, the Chief Minister ordered withdrawal of 54 more cases in addition to the 155 cases. She also ordered the Home department to take necessary steps to withdraw an additional 182 cases at the earliest.
According to the officials, these cases are related to stone-pelting and vandalism while serious cases of violence will stay.
On August 25, 2015, a rally organised by the Patidars had turned violent, forcing the government to call in the Army to restore normalcy and paramilitary forces were deployed to maintain law and order in the State. During the agitation, a dozen persons were killed in the police firing. Over 200 buses were torched while public properties, including police stations and government offices, were vandalised.
