The Supreme Court on Wednesday expressed concern over the damage to public property during the agitation involving Patidar leader Hardik Patel. The apex court said the country cannot be ‘held ransom’ by agitations, adding that political organisations can be held accountable for damage to property.
The SC was hearing a plea filed by Hardik Patel challenging sedition charges against him.
Last year, the Patel community led a huge protest in Gujarat where it was demanding reservation under government jobs and education in the Other Backward Committies (OBC) category.
The Gujarat police in January filed a chargesheet in a Surat court against 22-year-old Patel on charges of sedition. The police, in their chargesheet, had termed the quota agitation spearheaded by Patel as a “pre-planned conspiracy” that was hatched to put pressure on the state government to accept their “unconstitutional demand of quota.
Patel’s bail plea hearing was adjourned for the sixth time. The next hearing is scheduled for 29 February.
Hardik and his aides are facing charges under IPC section,
124(A) for sedition
121 (A) for conspiracy to wage war against government
120 (b) for criminal conspiracy
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