Hardik’s sedition case to stay, aides threaten suicide

The Gujarat high court on Tuesday said there is prime facie case of sedition against Patel quota agitation leader Hardik Patel, while refusing to quash the FIR filed against him in Surat, even as three of his supporters threatened to set themselves on fire if he is not set free by October 29.

The court has ordered to drop Section 153 (A) (creating enmity between two communities) of the IPC from the FIR against Hardik. 

Justice JB Pardiwala said there is prime facie case of sedition against Hardik as he had advised a man to kill policemen. The court gave its verdict in the petition filed by the accused’s father Bharat Patel to quash the sedition FIR filed against him.

“Advising a person to resort to violence and disturb peace in society amounts to sedition,” the court said.

Refusing to quash the sedition plaint, the court said, “Probe is in progress and picture will be clear by the end of the probe. It’s open for Patidars (Patels) to demand quota by peaceful means, but what’s not permissible is any act that may jeopardise public tranquillity,” the court said. A case of sedition was filed against Hardik for his alleged controversial remarks, instigating his community man to kill policemen instead of committing suicide. 

Meanwhile, three men from the Patidar community have threatened to immolate themselves in front of the state Assembly, if the government did not let off Hardik by Thursday. Bharat Patel, Vijay Patel and Pratik Patel from Tenpur village of Aravalli district submitted a memorandum to an official, warning the government that if sedition charges against Hardik were not dropped, they would set themselves on fire before the state Assembly building in Gandhinagar.