Cocky and confused: Why Hardik, the newest Patel icon, disappoints

It is easy to miss Hardik Patel in a crowd. For a man who manages to mobilize lakhs of Patidars behind him at the click of his fingers, he is underwhelming in person. Cocky and confused at the same time, the newest sensation from Gujarat gives the distinct impression of being an accidental hero. If the media expected him to impress them at the Press Club the national capital, they were disappointed. He met the questions thrown at him with some bluster but the answers were not good enough to form an impression of the man or his motive. [caption id=“attachment_2409046” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Hardik Patel. Image courtesy CNN-IBN[/caption] The 22-year-old, who plans to launch a nationwide movement with the support of 27 crore people, does not know where he stands in the reservation debate. “The youth of our community are not getting jobs because of reservation,” he told reporters on Sunday. Asked whether it should go, he replied in the negative. “We need quota in government jobs otherwise millions of our educated boys and girls will not get jobs,” he added. Asked why he does not launch an anti-reservation movement asking the government to provide all possible facilities to underprivileged people to raise their educational status and make merit, not caste, the only criteria for employment or admission in educational institutions, he replied, “All castes should be given reservation.” Reminded that the government cannot breach the 50 percent ceiling on reservation as ordered by the Supreme Court, he said: “It (the court) can sit at night for a terrorist but not for us. We want quota at any cost. If others also need it they should come forward and join us.” His argument for the demand for reservation for Patels is simple. He said at the time of the Mandal movement, which the community opposed with great force, it was well-off. But it lost its social and economical status with the introduction of caste-based reservation. The fight is to redress caste discrimination. “Around 182 castes in our state (Gujarat) enjoy reservation. Only 4-5 communities, including us, belong to general category because of which we are unable to get government jobs despite securing marks greater than that of the candidates belonging to the reserved category. Isn’t this social injustice?” he asked. He termed his agitation a “marathon and not a 100-metre race” and added he intended to hold mega-rallies in different part of the country to intensify the protest. “This movement will go on for 1-2 years. I intend to unite 27 crore people our community, which has presence 12 states of the country,” he said, adding Gujjars and Jats, whom he met in the city, were also part of our community. If needed, we will use their muscle power as well. They will block the highways if required. Hardik had led a massive rally on 25 August to press his demand in Ahmedabad. His detention was followed by widespread violence which claimed the lives of 10 people, including a police constable, and kept the state administration on tenterhooks. He says his Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (of which he is the convener) will organise rallies at Jantar Mantar and in Lucknow. Asked about his political affiliation and his photos with Vishwa Hindu Parishad’s Praveen Togadia and leaders of different political parties, he replied, “First, I am not associated with any political party. As far as my photos, which are viral on social media these days, are concerned, let me clarify it. I run an organisation where many leaders from BJP, Congress and other political parties come. Having a photo with them does not mean anything. I am not a politician and have not any intention to become one.”