The Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti , which was spearheading the agitation for reservation benefits for the Patels in Gujarat, has decided to resume the stir but this time for different goals.

“Our agitation will continue till PAAS co-convener Alpesh Kathiriya, currently under detention on sedition charges, is released, all criminal cases against the Patidar youths are withdrawn and officials responsible for the killings of 14 youths in the 2015 police firing are punished,” PAAS convener Hardik Patel said.

The decision was today taken at a meeting of the PAAS which was attended by Hardik, now the Congress leader, his one-time aide Dinesh Bhambhaniya and others. However, most of the former PAAS leaders, who since have joined the ruling BJP, skipped the meeting.

Earlier, Hardik’s announcement after the meeting that the quota stir was over sparked off a controversy with several Patidar leaders, including Varun Patel, who joined the BJP in 2017, and Lalji Patel, convener of the “Sardar Patel Group” which was supporting the PAAS in the quota stir, questioning his authority to take a decision on behalf of the community.

Following the controversy, Hardik and other PAAS leaders tweeted that the statement had been misinterpreted and the agitation would be resumed to get Alpesh released, cases against Patidar youths withdrawn and guilty officials punished.