The BJP’s efforts to contain the Patel anger against Prime Minister Narendra Modi have met with some success, but a section of them will continue protests.
Tejas Patel, based in New Jersey, said hundreds of them would arrive in New York and demonstrate outside the hotel where Mr. Modi is staying. “We have to go by the police restrictions, but until he leaves the U.S., our protests will continue,” he said.
Influential Gujarati doctor Bharat Barai, who was the key organiser of Mr. Modi’s community event last year at Madison Square Garden, has been trying to persuade fellow Patels to withdraw protests. But Mr. Patel said: “We Patels raised the maximum money for the MSG event last year. This year, you see how many of us are there to receive him. On the contrary, we are saying that he is a modern-day Aurangzeb who is trampling upon Hindu sentiments.” Mr. Patel and a small group had gathered outside the Waldor Astoria Hotel but no big protest is expected.
