Desperate for Bail, Hardik Patel Ready to Accept Gujarat HC Terms

Hardik Patel told gujarat HC that he would stay out of the state if was required of him.

A still of Hardik Patel. (Photo: ANI Screengrab)

Jailed Patel quota agitation leader Hardik Patel told the Gujarat High Court, on Monday that he was ready to accept any condition, including staying out of the state for six months, that it may deem fit for granting him bail.

Justice A J Desai reserved his order on the bail plea after the prosecution and defence counsels concluded their arguments.

Hardik, an accused in two separate cases of sedition registered against him in Surat and Ahmedabad, has been lodged in a Surat jail since his arrest in 2015 in the wake of the violent stir by Patels seeking reservation under the OBC category.

Opposing the bail plea, government pleader Mitesh Amin told the court that government is apprehensive that Hardik may repeat the offence and endanger the law-and-order situation in the state.

During earlier hearings, the government had declined to accept Hardik’s offer for a written undertaking for bail.

The quota leader had stated that he will refrain from activities that may affect law-and-order situation, but will “continue to agitate for grievances of the Patidar community in a peaceful and democratic manner”.

Former Union Aviation Minister and senior NCP leader Praful Patel met a key aide of Hardik Patel in Ahmedabad, on Monday and expressed solidarity with the jailed quota agitation leader while extending support to the Patel community over their demand for reservation.

Notably, the Assembly elections in Gujarat are due next year.

Recently, the Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had lent support to the Hardik Patel-led agitation for the inclusion of Patel community under the OBC quota.

(With inputs from PTI.)