The Gujarat government has withdrawn all sedition cases and other major cases against leaders of the Patidar movement who include Hardik Patel, Dilip Sabva, Alpesh Kathiriya, and Lalji Patel.
Patel's government through Chief Minister Bhupendra declared the move much to the approval of the Patel leaders and many members of the Patel community.
Viramgam MLA and prominent Patidar leader Hardik Patel took to social media thanking, "During the Patidar agitation, several serious cases, including sedition, were filed against me and many youths from the community. Today, the government led by Bhupendra Patel has withdrawn these cases. On behalf of the community, I sincerely thank the BJP government of Gujarat."
The Patidar Andolan, which started in 2015 in Gujarat, was a major socio-political movement led by the Patidar (Patel) community demanding reservation under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category for better access to government jobs and education.
The movement, led by Hardik Patel and the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS), began with peaceful protests but gained momentum with a massive rally on August 25, 2015, in Ahmedabad, drawing over 5 lakh people.
However, the situation went out of hand when police arrested Hardik Patel, and violent clashes, arson, internet shutdowns, and police firing led to the death of 14 Patidar protestors. The Gujarat government responded with a crackdown, arrests, and sedition charges against several leaders, including Hardik Patel.
Despite facing multiple legal battles and the Gujarat High Court dismissing their OBC demand, the movement had a great impact on the 2017 Assembly Elections in Gujarat. Many Patidars shifted their allegiance to the opposition Congress party and significantly weakened the BJP's hold on Gujarat.
Over the years, several prominent Patidar leaders, including Hardik Patel, entered mainstream politics. In 2022, Hardik Patel himself joined the BJP.
Patidar leaders, including Dinesh Bambhania, also took to social media to celebrate the decision. Bambhania posted, "The cases filed during the agitation, including sedition charges, have been withdrawn. I thank CM Bhupendra Patel and say, 'Satyamev Jayate, Jai Sardar'."
While Patidar leaders welcomed the withdrawal, other political leaders raised concerns about cases from different movements.
MLA Alpesh Thakor urged the government to extend the same relief to those involved in OBC and Dalit agitations. "If the government is withdrawing cases from the Patidar movement, then it should also withdraw cases filed during the OBC and Dalit movements," he asserted.
However, PAAS leader Chirag Patel and MLA Kirit Patel remained sceptical, claiming that no official announcement had been made by the government yet.
"While Hardik Patel has tweeted about it, the government has not come out in public. We wait for more clarity," said Kirit Patel.
Former PAAS convener and BJP leader Alpesh Kathiriya confirmed that 14 cases related to the Patidar movement had been withdrawn. Efforts were going on for other cases from 2017 onward, he said.
"This is what we have been asking for repeatedly. We hope that the government will soon make an official declaration," he said.
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