The Patidar quota agitation leader Hardik Patel and his supporters got their heads tonsured on Sunday before embarking on a two day-yatra from Botad to Bhavnagar to seek justice for members of the community subjected to police atrocities during the agitation and afterwards.
On Saturday evening, Mr. Hardik held a massive rally in which thousands of Patidars turned up at Botad where they openly vowed to “avenge” the injustice the State BJP government inflicted upon the community when it had asked for quota in education and government jobs.
Political campaign
The 23-year-old leader and 50 members of his Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti got their heads shaved as a mark of protest at Lathidad village during their “March for Justice.”
“Along with the 50 PAAS members, I decided to get our heads shaved to highlight the atrocities committed by this government on our community in the last two years. Now, we are embarking on the Nyay Yatra to seek justice,” Mr. Patel said.
“During this two-day Nyay Yatra, we would pass through 50 villages en route from Botad to Bhavnagar. This is the beginning of our political campaign ahead of the Assembly polls in Gujarat,” Mr. Patel said.
His rally in Botad was well attended despite the ruing BJP and state machinery’s combined efforts to ensure that a large crowd did not turn up at the rally.
This comes a day before Prime Minister Narendra Modi was scheduled to be in Gujarat on a two-day visit.
