Trouble for Hardik Patel? He sought to block roads if arrested before India-SA ODI

Ahmedabad, Oct 22: Hardik Patel, who is spearheading the Patel quota agitation, had asked his aides to block all highways of Gujarat if he was held by police ahead of the India-South Africa ODI match in Rajkot on October 18 which he had threatned to disrupt, according to an FIR filed by the city police.

The FIR filed yesterday which has slapped the serious charge of sedition against Hardik, has transcripts of his telephonic conversations with one Kuldip.

In the discussions, Hardik is heard asking him if he would be able to block a highway near Sayla town linking Surendranagar and Rajkot districts anytime it was needed.

In another conversation with Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) convener of Surat, Alpesh Kathiria, that took place on October 17, Hardik had allegedly asked him not to forget to block the highways on October 18, the day of the match.

"Do not forget... you will have to block the Kamrej highway (in Surat)...All the highways of Gujarat must be blocked...none would be spared," Hardik was quoted telling Kathiria.

In another conversation on the same day with Kuldip, Hardik had asked the latter to keep watching TV and start their programme when the news of his arrest comes ahead of the cricket match.

"Tomorrow...everything must go into right way as and when news of our arrest comes...keep watching the TV...Do not forget it...almost at nine'o clock tomorrow...roads should be blocked...watch carefully...you will have to start that as and when news of our arrest comes," Hardik told Kuldip.

The FIR also has transcripts of his close aide, Dinesh Patel's telephonic conversation where in he asked an unknown member of PAAS to start riots outside the Rajkot cricket stadium and also to 'gherao' cricketers if Hardik is arrested.

Hardik, who was detained by Rajkot rural police ahead of the India-South Africa One-Day International as he had threatened to disrupt the match, was arrested by the Rajkot rural police for allegedly insulting the national flag on October 19.

PTI