Patel members to raise slogans during India-South Africa match at Rajkot: Hardik Patel

In a bid to intensify the Patel quota agitation stir, its leader Hardik Patel on Sunday said members of his community will raise slogans to expose Gujarat’s development model during the upcoming One-Day International between India and South Africa at Rajkot.

The third ODI of the five-match series will be played on October 18.

Related Read: Saurashtra Cricket Association appeals to Hardik Patel to refrain from agitation during ODI

“Patidars have bought tickets of the October 18 ODI being played at Rajkot. We will neither stop nor intervene in the match,” Patel, who is the convener of Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS), told reporters in Rajkot.

“We will just protest peacefully in a novel way. On every four, we will shout ‘Jai Sardar-Jai Patidar’. When the wickets will fall, we will howl at BJP to poke fun at them,” the 22-year-old leader said.

“During protest, we are going to put up placards with slogans. Our motive is to bare the Gujarat model of development,” he said. Earlier, the Saurashtra Cricket Association (SCA) had appealed Hardik and his supporters not to agitate during the ODI game.

“The match would be telecast across the world and it should be our priority that it be played in a peaceful manner. I humbly request Hardik Patel not to agitate during Rajkot ODI,” SCA Honorary Secretary Niranjan Shah had said.

PTI