Patidar reservation agitation leader Hardik Patel, who was recently granted bail by the Gujarat high court, on Wednesday issued a video message, appealing Dalits of the state to fight for their just rights in a peaceful and non-violent manner.
Hardik met his supporters as well as state Congress leaders, has since then moved to Udaipur in the neighbouring state of Rajasthan and has been galvanising support from various sections of Gujarat.
In this video, Hardik is seen appealing to Gujarat's Dalits who have been violently protesting thrashing of four young Dalit men in Gujarat's Una by ‘gau rakshaks’ for engaging in cow slaughter.
Watch the video here:
Translation from the video:
My sincere request to the people of Gujarat: Defeat the Bharatiya Janata Party’s ploy of polarising Gujaratis. This government under the BJP's rule has been playing politics of polarising Dalits, Patels and Muslims to reap the benefits of vote-bank politics.
I am requesting my Gujarati brothers to maintain peace and calm; particularly my Dalit brothers, otherwise this government and its police will play the same game with you as they played with the Patels during their reservation stir.
I assure Dalits in Gujarat that the Patels are with them and their interests but let us not fall prey to the BJP’s politics.
Let us all unite, keeping aside the upper caste-lower caste divide and come forward for the progress of Gujarat.
My dear Dalit brothers, you have worked hard for your own unity and organisation but adopt non-violent and peaceful methods of protest and fight for your just rights.
Jai Sardar, Jai Bhim