Hardik Patel, who is leading a protest movement by the Patidar community in Gujarat, seeking reservation under OBC quota for Patels, has been booked on charges of sedition after being caught on camera allegedly asking a man to "kill 2-5 cops" instead of committing suicide.
"Sedition case filed against Hardik Patel in Surat," Rakesh Asthana, Commissioner of Police, Surat, said, adding that an FIR was lodged against him at a police station in Surat late on Sunday night.
Patel was attending a meeting with his supporters in Surat when he made the statement to one Vipul Desai, who had said that he is willing to give his life for their protest demanding reservation. "If you have so much courage, then go and kill 2-5 policemen. Patels never commit suicide," Hardik advised Desai.
Patel had claimed that the video was not authentic and his words were "misinterpreted". However, the Gujarat police have refuted Patel's claims and confirmed that the video was not "doctored", Zee News reported.
Meanwhile, Hardik Patel was also held in Rajkot for disrespecting the national flag. He was detained on Sunday morning ahead of his protest at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium during the India-South Africa One Day International (ODI).
The agitation for reservation led by Hardik Patel and the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) had first turned violent, forcing the state authorities to impose curfew in several parts of Gujarat.
Watch Patel asking Desai to "kill cops" in the video below:
