64
NEW DELHI: India’s Gujarat province banned the internet on Saturday in a bid to stall a major rally against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s handpicked government in his home state.
Police in Surat city arrested a 22-year old firebrand leader, Hardik Patel, who has been leading an agitation seeking reservations for the Patel community in Gujarat.
He has been arrested for violating prohibitory orders as he tried to take out a protest march from the city. The police also detained fifty of his supporters.
Soon after his detention, internet services were suspended across the state for 24 hours.
The young leader was denied permission for his ‘Ekta Yatra’ (unity march) by the administration on Friday, but he reportedly remained adamant saying he would go ahead with the march “at any cost”.
After last-minute venue change, Mr Patel arrived at the Mangadh chowk in Surat city with 50 of his supporters and after garlanding a statue of the community’s icon Sardar Patel, started marching in defiance of the orders.
A posse of policemen whisked him away as he said: “This is an attempt to muzzle our peaceful agitation by the state government. We will not give up and will continue our agitation peacefully.”
The rich and powerful community has threatened to stage protests during Mr Modi’s tour of the United States later this month.
In the past two weeks, Mr Patel had announced to take out the “reverse Dandi March,” retracing a demonstration-walk led by Mahatma Gandhi against the colonial British government in 1930. But he cancelled the plan after the district administration denied permission.
Mr Patel’s Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti or PAAS has been demanding reservation for the Patel community, also known as Patidars. The Patels, who make up 14 per cent of Gujarat’s population, were originally land-owning farmers who branched out into trades like diamond polishing.
But they say their youth is now being excluded from university education and government jobs, which are reserved for castes seen as far more backward and in need of integration into the mainstream.
Published in Dawn, September 20th, 2015
On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play
Read more
On DawnNews
Comments (64) Closed
Sep 20, 2015 01:00pm
Lies lies and more lies. Only 3G internet from cellphones is blocked, and hardik is not modi critic. In fact he is true modi supporter, he just wants govt to bow to his demands by force.
Recommend
0
Sep 20, 2015 01:08pm
Very good step by BJP gov of Gujurat. No more blackmail by any community.
Recommend
0
Sep 20, 2015 01:09pm
Hardik is not a modi critic... I don't know why this news like this.... More than 80 percent of Indians support modi... He is the best pm ever...
Recommend
0
Sep 20, 2015 01:11pm
This man is protesting to get reservation for patel caste and he is not against modi personally....
Recommend
0
Sep 20, 2015 01:11pm
Disconnecting internet? That sounds more like home where YouTube 'dissent' is banned.
Recommend
0
Sep 20, 2015 01:26pm
Yes give reservations to all and then when everybody complains , ban reservations for everybody , bring in common civil code ,that's the way to go, see in Tamil Nadu all people are treated equally by our CM Selvi Thalaivi Jayalalitha , she knows to rule the just way, hence we affectionately call her AMMA(NAMMU /NAMMA -Sumerian)
Recommend
0
Sep 20, 2015 01:49pm
Peaceful rally? Last time they resorted to violence and many died after similar plans. So denying permission this time is correct and logical.
Recommend
0
Sep 20, 2015 01:56pm
Hardik is not a Modi critic. His only demand is either stop reservation for all or else give to us also. Second one Sardar Patel not the community Icon as he was a national leader and a close associate of Nehru and Jinnah during independence. He was considered for PM post along with Nehru.
Recommend
0
Sep 20, 2015 01:58pm
We are proud of our democratic culture and would love to help our neighbour where continue power struggle between army and govt.
Recommend
0
Sep 20, 2015 01:58pm
"NEW DELHI: India’s Gujarat province banned the internet on Saturday in a bid to stall a major rally against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s handpicked government in his home state"
Someone told me that India boost of biggest democracy where peoples are free to demand a better life for themselves, is it so.
Recommend
0
Sep 20, 2015 02:02pm
Its nothing revolutionary, its done only for the sake of law and order. This news is old and has a lot of mis-interpretation
Recommend
0
Sep 20, 2015 02:07pm
Incredible India.
and also they call themselves the largest democracy ...disconnecting internet, jailing protestors...?
Recommend
0
Sep 20, 2015 02:12pm
Dawn I was expecting better from you. Hardik Patel is not Modi critic.
Recommend
0
Sep 20, 2015 02:20pm
So much for the free speech, and the 'Largest Democracy' of the world !
Recommend
0
Sep 20, 2015 02:28pm
Maintaining peace is the first priority of the State. Democracy is not only for demonstrators it is also for those who are against such methods of protest. Indians usually speak at the time of elections
Recommend
0
Sep 20, 2015 02:36pm
PAAS is protesting because the talks between the government and PAAS has failed.
Recommend
0
Sep 20, 2015 02:44pm
internet closed.......in so call biggest democracy...
Recommend
0
Sep 20, 2015 02:48pm
@IMRAN ALI okie
Recommend
0
Sep 20, 2015 03:15pm
Pressure is mounting at the seams. You cannot suppress popular dissent forever.
Recommend
0
Sep 20, 2015 03:17pm
So this is a battle for space within the resources available for each caste?
Are not all citizens in a democracy equal and therefore to have equal access?
I guess this is India's version of the quota system.
Recommend
0
Sep 20, 2015 03:37pm
@Neutral -80% Indians support Modi is a complete lie . Not even 40% support him , Yes we won lot of seats due to mis governance of previous government . Dont forget what happened in Delhi . History will repeat in Bihar. There is no chance Modi will come back to power again , while he has taken good economic steps , But he has failed to control intolerance and the party which used to propagate Uniform Civil Code is now busy appeasing majority community ( some small fraction of fanatics in majority community )
Recommend
0
Sep 20, 2015 03:54pm
@Abdulla Hussain do u know about patel community. 90%must be having Mercedes car still the want reservarion. ita blackmailing.
Recommend
0
Sep 20, 2015 03:57pm
hahahaha modi critique banned ..........height of false propaganda
Recommend
0
Sep 20, 2015 03:58pm
so that means next time when there is unfair protest or unfair demands, Modi will disconnect electricity, water and gas etc?
Recommend
0
Sep 20, 2015 03:58pm
Hardik is in fact a hardcore Hindu fundamentalist who is demanding reservation for Patel's.India is moving on from reservations and such stirs will only pull it back. No problem if govt enforces such measures.and he is not a modi critic FYI.
Recommend
0
Sep 20, 2015 04:12pm
The then elected CM Modi resigned after elections and handed over the charge to Anandiben and moved to Delhi to take over as PM, so educated journalists and readers should not use the words 'hand picked' it's a process in a democracy.
Secondly, democracy doesn't allow to burn buses, public property or do stone pelting. They would clamp down to protect law and order be it any one any where!!
Hardik is not a Modi critic.
Recommend
0
Sep 20, 2015 04:22pm
Qouta system or reservations is a tricky tool to support under privileged communities. It cause addiction to it and causes the community to rely on it for ever. It should be given for a limited time and should be augmented with other more practical tools of social support.
Recommend
0
Sep 20, 2015 04:34pm
It’s noticeable how Modi lovers are quick to point out that Hardik Patel is not a Modi critic. Such is the culture of personality cult there that they feel compelled to protect Modi and are quick to lambast Patel for pretesting - a democratic right!
Recommend
0
Sep 20, 2015 04:36pm
@Zak
Ignorant remark.
Recommend
0
Sep 20, 2015 04:52pm
@Abdulla Hussain
First try to understand why internet was banned before taking dig at our secularist Democracy , please care to read
First of all it turned from peaceful rally to a violent rally they started the violence. Even army was called to maintain peace through flag marching
Now a days you know how quickly internet can spread anything everywhere be it true news or a rumor ...
So in order to avoid rumors or provoking stuff that could further escalate the violence , government decided to ban use of internet and I feel it was right thing to do..
Recommend
0
Sep 20, 2015 05:08pm
@Stargazer fix your democracy first before worrying about our democracy...
Recommend
0
Sep 20, 2015 05:24pm
@True blue Indian - What secularist democracy you're talking about? Where a hindu extremist rules and majority supports him? Indian secularism is just an eye wash for the world.
Recommend
0
Sep 20, 2015 06:36pm
@Neutral sorry boss he is not supported by 80% Indians. he got vote from 30% Indians only. He is the PM because of alliances. Please check the election results
Recommend
0
Sep 20, 2015 06:39pm
Democracy? ??? Don't think so!
Recommend
0
Sep 20, 2015 06:47pm
True face of so called "Democratic India"
Recommend
0
Sep 20, 2015 06:52pm
Learning from Parsis...Parsis are just 0.1% of total population...They never asked for minority status...They never asked for reservations...They never fought with Indian Government...They never threw stones & damaged public property...They contributed to progress of India...They gave us best...Mr. Ratan Tata... Mr. Adi Godrej...Mr. Cyrus Mistry...Mr. Homi Bhabha... Mr. Cyrus Bharucha...Ms. Bachi Karkaria...Mr. Busybee... Mr. Keki Mistry...Mr. Mehraboon Irani...Each one of us Indians must love & respect Parsis...They are best gift by Almighty to India...I wish we had more of the Parsis who could teach our minorities including the latest joker Hardik Patel...what minority means...
Kindly circulate. Let it reach to all those who have been asking for minority status. Let the chain not be broken.
All those who are asking for minority be ashamed of your self.
You owe a lot to this nation. Pay back, rather than asking from nation.
Recommend
0
Sep 20, 2015 06:54pm
I am surprised that Indians are commenting about Modi critic or not. But they have no views on the root-cause of this issue.
Reservations and Quota system for lower-castes, have hurt India so much since independence that its almost impossible to imagine the damage.
Imagine a doctor, who doesnt know "S" or surgery, operating your heart. Imagine an engineer who does not even understand 5th standard maths, building your dams or working in your research labs. Imagine a diplomat, who should not even be a rural postman, representing India in United nations. Imagine! the Damage!
Modi's biggest achievement could be the end of "reservation system". Somebody has to end this unfair and highly misused, almost criminal system. Someone has to bell the cat, which has become such a poison and political gimmick.
Say no to reservations! Say yes to meritocracy! One people, one law, one system. Equality, fairness and meritocracy.
Recommend
0
Sep 20, 2015 07:03pm
Great marketing job by Indian people to sell world largest democracy. Pakistani should take lesson from them.
Recommend
0
Sep 20, 2015 07:21pm
I think Police did the right thing,this Hardik Patel has now crossed all his limits and Govt cant allow this disruption drama to keep continuing.
Recommend
0
Sep 20, 2015 07:23pm
@Zubaida khan - Its about so called "lower caste" people are asking for "free" admissions in high-education even if they score 1%, High-end govt jobs without qualifying for it, Free loans from govt and banks, without repaying them.
They want everything free, even though they dont qualify for it. And why should they get it? Because, they belong to so called "lower caste", and some thousands years back their ancestors were oppressed by so called "upper caste" people.
An upper caste youth, even if he is talented, hardworking and score 98% can not get a seat in prestigious institution, just because he is from so called upper caste. While, a Dalit or other backward caste youth, can get an admission even if he scored 2%.
Recommend
0
Sep 20, 2015 07:29pm
The high caste want to rule the lower caste again. Caste system is banned by UN as crime against humanity. only medieval societies still have this inhumane oppressive system. India is ruled by a coterie of Brahman goons but fronted by an untouchable chaa wallah.
Recommend
0
Sep 20, 2015 07:39pm
For all : Internet in gujrat has been disconnected for a temporary basis till this matter get resolved not like YouTube.
Recommend
0
Sep 20, 2015 07:55pm
This is how "the biggest democracy" deals with "opposition" and yet points fingers at others.
Recommend
0
Sep 20, 2015 08:23pm
Modi only talks big. Prectically nothing to be seen done on the ground. He is more like a leader for Hindus than a PM.
Recommend
0
Sep 20, 2015 08:24pm
Even though I do menial jobs in US and Muslims, especially brown skinned Muslims are looked down by the locals, I say American democracy is the best in the world.
Recommend
0
Sep 20, 2015 08:31pm
Hardik is another politician and hardcore RSS hindu fundamentalist, just not in MODI camp
Recommend
0
Sep 20, 2015 08:56pm
@Commentator If he can not accomplish what he promised, and if people are not satisfied. It is a democratic way of governing,but if you are so angry, make sure you do something about those in opposition who are just being obstructionist to his agenda for political reason.
Recommend
0
Sep 20, 2015 09:03pm
I belong to a OBC reservation category and I always believed reservations should be on the basis of financial condition for all the religions and not on caste basis. Also reservation should help in paying fees for the students and not seats.
Recommend
0
Sep 20, 2015 09:19pm
@Commentator I'm not a bjp supporter, but still people like me support modi beacuse, his vision and steps for a better India is known for everyone. I don't know why u don't see this. Understand one thing that people of India are now wants only development and not what Congress government done in the past 65 years.. We want to eradicate poverty, want development, we want jobs... Not corruption. So people nowadays elect a government which is capable of doing this. Not even think, whether it's bjp, Congress, or communist...
Recommend
0
Sep 20, 2015 09:31pm
@Neutral Well Said!
Recommend
0
Sep 20, 2015 09:34pm
Patel is even more of a radical hindu than Modi ever was. Patel looks to bal Thackeray of shiv Sena as an idol. It's sad that Gujarat used to be a bastion of tolerance but has become militantly hindu and ignorantly chauvanist as it got wealthier. Gujarat model of development might not be so great for india!
Recommend
0
Sep 20, 2015 09:42pm
@Dilectus 125 crore people, 1000 languages, 10 religions and beliefs, hundreds of races, 5000 castes, various climatic regions, diverse topography. Plus 40% poor, 65% under 30 years of age and 75% living in villages
For so much diversity, the democracy is the best option and working well.
A well travelled and learned man considers it a miracle.
One Arab culture, one Arab language, same climatic region, one version of Islam, very rich nations. Yet there are so many Arab states.
Churchill once condemned and said post freedom India will descend into a civil war and be a burden on the world. The World Bank and the Economist says India is the only large nation economy growing at 7%.
That's a functional democracy and yes has faults as well, but it is able to steer and forge ahead.
Recommend
0
Sep 20, 2015 09:51pm
Perplexed to read recent stories in the Indian media that Nehru had ensured liquidation of people like Sardar Patel and S.B.Bose for his own dynastic perpetuation. It is unfortunate that people kill the nation's destiny to engineer their own.
Recommend
0
Sep 20, 2015 10:21pm
I am not sure why all my Indian friends are defending. A mistake is a mistake and the quicker we accept it the better. They should understand that if today we protect a wrong action of the govt then tomorrow we pay a big price for it. In US people fight for every right no matter how small because if u leave it to govt they will take all ur rights.
Please see first amendment below and think:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
Recommend
0
Sep 20, 2015 10:48pm
@bryan well said
Recommend
0
Sep 21, 2015 04:43am
@Neutral;
'More than 80 percent of Indians support modi'
Modi was elected with 32% of popular vote. I do believe his popularity has gone up quite a bit since, but 'more than 80 percent' is a very tall order. Nelson Mandela received less than 63% in the first South African elections in 1994. Mohommad Khatami received 77% in his second term as Iranian president.
Recommend
0
Sep 21, 2015 04:46am
@Spock;
'Only 3G internet from cellphones is blocked'
Even if true, blocking any means of communications bodes ill for a country claiming to be a democracy.
Recommend
0
Sep 21, 2015 04:51am
@prasant;
What kind of democracy allows banning of internet??
Recommend
0
Sep 21, 2015 05:05am
Quota system is a small atonement for centuries of crimes and repression the Brahmins and Baniyas have committed against other people in the society.
Recommend
0
Sep 21, 2015 08:46am
Hardik Patel is not anti-Modi. He is leading an agitation demanding reservation for his community. Gujarat blocked 3G (mobile internet) and not broadband.
Recommend
0
Sep 21, 2015 08:47am
@Harmony-1 It's a fact that Hardik Patel is not a Modi critic. Also they blocked mobile 3G and not broadband internet.
Recommend
0
Sep 21, 2015 09:12am
Why everybody is taking Dig at Indian democracy with half knowleage ?
Do you even know the simple reason why internet was banned ? And why so called Peaceful rally was halted ?
Here I give you few insights
1.Peaceful rally had turned into a violent one... it went so further that Army had been called to maintain peace n law
2. Use of internet is indeed very dangerous during such violence , rumors could have spread way easily to provoke more youths get into this ugly rally
Isn't it very dangerous ? I guess government done the right thing by restricting the use of internet during peacetime
Recommend
0
Sep 21, 2015 01:10pm
@Ashutosh Learning from Parsis...Parsis are just 0.1% of total population...
I think Parsis are learning from this.. If they can do it to there own kind, we better shut up about our issues
Recommend
0
Sep 22, 2015 08:50am
Modi Critic? SERIOUSLY?
Recommend
0
