Bandh, road blocks and token fast mark day 15

RAJKOT/PALANPUR: In an unusual development, Muslims came out in support of Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) convener Hardik Patel and sat on a one-day token hunger strike in Jainabad village of Dasada taluka in Surendranagar district on Saturday. Hardik have been hospitalised since Friday evening after he complained of breathlessness. Bandh, road block, token fast and Ramdhun (devotional song to lord Rama) across Saurashtra by supporters of Hardik marked the 15th day of Patidar quota stir leader’s indefinite hunger strike on Saturday.
“In Jamjodhpur of Jamnagar district, Hardik’s supporters clamped down a complete bandh on the town, forcing shops, schools and colleges to shut down. In order to pray for the well-being of Hardik, who has been hospitalized in Ahmedabad after his health deteriorated and who is continuing his fast from the hospital bed, members of Patidar community organized a Ramdhun at Kadwa Patidar Samaj premises in Jamjodhpur,” said a PAAS member.
In Tankara of Morbi district, Patidar women clanged utensils and organized road block on Morbi-Rajkot highway on Friday. In Una town of Junagadh district, Hardik’s supporters sat on a one-day token strike and held a demonstration.
In Vadhwan of Surendranagar district, the PAAS supporters tonsured their heads and organized Ramdhun. Patidar women clanged utensils to lodge their protest against the BJP. In Jodiya town of Jamnagar district, Hardik supporters organized Ramdhun at Hanuman temple in Lakshmipara locality.
In Mendarda town of Junagadh district, the PAAS supporters submitted a memorandum to the deputy collector, urging the state government to accept Hardik’s demands. In Morbi, the Patidars sat on a one-day token hunger strike to express solidarity with his fast. In north Gujarat village of Gojariya in Mehsana, a complete bandh was observed by locals. Police sub-inspector RK Patel of Lagnaj police station said that all state trasport buses to the village was diverted on Saturday as a precaution.