Quota stir leader Hardik Patel to walk out of jail tomorrow

Gujarat High Court granted Hardik bail in cases of sedition and violence pertaining to Patidar stir last year.

After spending nine months behind bars, quota agitation leader Hardik Patel is all set to walk out of Lajpore jail in Surat on Friday morning, days after the Gujarat High Court granted him bail in cases of sedition and violence pertaining to Patidar stir last year.

The Patidar Anamant Andolan Samiti (PAAS), of which Mr Patel is the convener, has planned to felicitate their leader outside Lajpore jail at around 10 am on July 15.

As per the schedule released by PAAS on Wednesday, Patel will travel to several places during 48 hours after his release before leaving Gujarat for six months.

Last week, the High Court paved the way for Mr Patel's release after granting him bail in two cases of sedition and a case related to violence at Visnagar lawmaker's office.

While granting him bail in sedition cases, the High Court set a condition that Mr Patel will have to stay outside Gujarat for the next six months.

As per the High Court direction, Mr Patel will have to leave Gujarat within 48 hours after his release from jail. PAAS said that the quota leader will travel to many parts of the state during 48 hours which end before July 17 midnight.

According to PAAS, no decision is taken yet on the place where Hardik will spend six months.

After coming out of jail, Mr Patel's caravan will pass by different parts of Surat city, including Bhestan, Ring Road, Kapodra, Mini Bazar, and Varachha area, which are mostly dominated by Patels.

"He will then garland Sardar Patel's statues in Bhestan and Mini Bazar areas in the city," PAAS leader Dinesh Bambhaniya said while releasing the schedule.

PAAS has also planned a public gathering at Laxminarayan farm on the outskirts of Surat, subject to permission by police.

"We will arrange our programme as per the law and the instructions of the high court. We will arrange the public gathering only if the police grants us permission" said Bambhaniya, a close aide of Mr Patel.

From Suart, Mr Patel would reach Vastral area of Ahmedabad city for night stay.

"On the morning of July 16, he will go to his native place Viramgam to meet his parents. He will be welcomed by a large number of supporters. Hardik will then come back here to complete a formality in city sessions court during afternoon.

Then, he will embark on a journey to Botad where he will visit Sarangpur Hanuman temple," said Bambhaniya. After a road show in Botad, Hardik and his supporters will visit Khodaldham temple in Rajkot district and then Umiyadham temple in Jamnagar district in evening.

Both these temples are supreme bodies of Patel community.

(This story originally appeared in the deccan Chronicle as may the case be)