Ahmedabad: Patidar chief and ex-Congressman Hardik Patel, who joined the BJP this June, appears to haven’t any love misplaced for his former get together, criticising its fashion of functioning and accusing it of enjoying communal politics in Gujarat simply to appease “Muslim voters”.
“The Congress will not be serious about working for the individuals of Gujarat. Repeatedly, they resort to bad-mouthing the state’s industrialists, Hindus, [Prime Minister Narendra Modi] and Amit Shah simply to appease Muslims,” Patel mentioned.
In an interview to ThePrint Thursday at his modest workplace in Ahmedabad’s Viramgam, Patel additionally spoke about why he stop the Congress, his position within the BJP, the Patidar agitation, the Morbi tragedy, and the discharge of 11 males convicted within the Bilkis Bano case.
Throughout his stint within the Congress, which he had joined in 2019, Patel had been a vocal critic of the BJP, however he now says he had at all times supported the abrogation of Article 370 in Kashmir and the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.
“[Congress] had an issue with the removing of Article 370 and the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi verdict [both in 2019]. I can by no means compromise on this. I’m a Hindu and have spiritual sentiments. I additionally wished the removing of Article 370 and the Ram Temple to be in-built Ayodhya,” he mentioned.
These sentiments, he claimed, prompted him to resign as working president of the Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) in Might this yr and to affix the BJP shortly afterwards, months forward of the state’s meeting elections, which might be held in two phases, on 1 and 5 December.
The final time state polls have been held, in December 2017, Patel had backed the Congress, and was broadly seen as having helped the get together dent the BJP’s affect. In an in depth contest, the Congress had managed to win 77 out of 182 meeting seats. However in his 2022 resignation letter to the Congress’s high management, Patel complained that the get together “lacked seriousness”.
On the Congress’s cost that his resignation letter was a “script” written by the BJP owing to the point out of Article 370 and the Ram Temple in it, Patel mentioned, “Jab Bharatsinh Solanki ne kaha hello Ram Mandir ki eeton par kutte peshab karte hain, tab mera jo sahi jawab tha wo logon ke samne aa gaya tha (My response turned recognized to the general public when Bharatsinh Solanki mentioned canines urinate on bricks despatched for building of Ram Temple).”
In Might, former state Congress chief Bharatsinh Solanki had drawn flak for his remarks that the BJP had been “duping individuals within the title of faith” and that “canines urinate” on bricks despatched by devotees for the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. Patel, who was now not with the Congress and but to affix the BJP on the time, had termed Solanki’s remarks as an “insult to Hindus”.
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‘Ask Kharge’
Requested in regards to the working fashion of the Congress’s central management, Patel mentioned anybody with a put up would demand the liberty to work within the pursuits of constituents, hinting that this was not attainable within the get together.
“It’s best to ask Mallikarjun Kharge, the newly appointed president of the Indian Nationwide Congress, if his affect and energy will stay or will the Gandhi household proceed to run the get together,” he mentioned.
Patel had advised ThePrint in April that “groupism” throughout the Congress hindered his efforts to work for the betterment of the individuals of Gujarat.
On whether or not the BJP is any completely different, Patel mentioned the get together assigns significant work to its leaders. “Within the final three months, I’ve been concerned in a number of tasks together with working with the administration of the (BJP) Gaurav Yatra, working with central ministers, and dealing on the floor in Viramgam. In politics, work is worship,” he mentioned.
Patel added that he’s happy with the work carved out for him because the BJP is adept at guaranteeing the implementation of its welfare schemes on the grassroots degree.
‘Will show myself once more in 2022’
Patel, who rose to prominence because the face of Patidar agitation for Different Backward Class (OBC) standing and reservations in 2015, has confronted some criticism for his resolution to affix the get together he as soon as opposed tooth and nail. However Patel believes he has confirmed his mettle and that there isn’t any risk to his attraction among the many individuals of Gujarat.
The Patidars are historically an agrarian group, comprising about 13 per cent of Gujarat’s inhabitants however wielding disproportionate affect in enterprise in addition to politics within the state.
Taking a few of the credit score for the formulation of 10 per cent reservation for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS), he mentioned the Patidar agitation helped deprived households discover a place in workplaces and academic establishments throughout India. The Supreme Court docket Monday upheld the validity of this reservation, which is predicted to profit the Patidar and different communities.
“I proved myself in 2017 and I’ll show myself once more this yr. I don’t have a politician father to talk in my help, I’ve labored exhausting for the individuals of the state and it’s their perception in my work that has helped me show myself,” Patel mentioned.
On Unbiased MLA Jignesh Mevani’s declare that Patel joined the BJP below stress, he dismissed the cost by saying that such allegations are widespread in politics however they need to have some aspect of fact to them.
Mevani is the Unbiased MLA from Vadgam and a working president of the Gujarat Congress.
“Hardik shouldn’t be linked with settlement (compromise). I didn’t settle through the Patidar agitation in 2017, I can’t settle in 2022,” mentioned Patel.
On Morbi tragedy & Bilkis Bano case
Hardik Patel additionally responded to the Aam Aadmi Get together’s (AAP) criticism of PM Modi for “altering his gown twice” throughout his go to to Morbi in Gujarat after the collapse of a suspension bridge there claimed 135 lives.
“Individuals elevating these allegations don’t eat meals or change garments? Do they preserve carrying the identical garments for 4 days? It’s extremely insensitive of them to make a human tragedy of such a scale an election speaking level,” he mentioned.
As soon as re-elected, the BJP authorities in Gujarat will take the strictest motion towards these accountable for the Morbi tragedy and be certain that such incidents don’t happen once more, Patel added.
Requested in regards to the early launch of 11 males convicted within the 2002 Bilkis Bano case, Patel mentioned no matter occurred along with her was “unlucky” and that it’s as much as the Supreme Court docket to conduct a closing assessment of the choice. The Gujarat authorities, in an affidavit earlier than the Supreme Court docket, had disclosed final month that its resolution to grant early launch to 11 convicts was authorised by the Ministry of Residence Affairs (MHA).
“This incident is barely being given significance as a result of the sufferer is a part of a sure minority. It’s unlucky that the Congress is doing this to widen the rift between Hindus and Muslims additional,” mentioned Patel. The Congress, he claimed, has been counting on “communal politics” to retain its “25-30 per cent” of vote share in Gujarat.
(Edited by Amrtansh Arora)
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