‘Will work as Modi's soldier’, declares Hardik Patel, who had once said ‘will never surrender to BJP’

News Network
June 2, 2022

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Once a fierce critic of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, former Congress leader Hardik Patel, who is set to join the ruling BJP in Gujarat on Thursday, posted a tweet in the morning saying he would work as a "soldier" of PM Modi and start a "new chapter". Patel is set to join the BJP at 12 pm on Thursday.

"Today, I am going to start a new chapter keeping in mind the interest of the nation, region, society and community. I will work as a small soldier in the development work of the nation being carried out under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi," he said in the tweet.

Elections to the 182-member House of the Gujarat Assembly are due by the end of this year.

Patel had earlier led an aggressive agitation to demand quota for the Patidar community and targeted the BJP government time and again. He was a very vocal critic of the BJP in the past. But the BJP government had slapped several cases against him, including that of sedition.

Patel, who had joined the Congress in 2019, resigned from the party recently. After that, there was speculation that he might join the ruling BJP. He had even praised the BJP's decision-making capacity and style of functioning, while severely criticising the Congress leadership.

Patel first came into the limelight in 2015 when he spearheaded the movement demanding reservation for the Patidar community in government jobs and educational institutes. Although he joined the opposition Congress in March 2019 ahead of the Lok Sabha election, contesting the parliamentary election was not possible for him due to his conviction in a rioting case.

He positioned himself as a vocal critic of the BJP and kept targeting the party and its governments in the state and at the Centre for being "anti-poor, anti-farmer and anti-youth". Since he was convicted in rioting and arson cases, it affected his chances of contesting an election. However, the Supreme Court recently stayed his conviction.

Patel, who was charged under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 124(A) (sedition), 121 (A) (conspiracy to wage war against government) and 120 (B) (criminal conspiracy), has been out on bail since 2016.

The BJP government has recently taken steps to withdraw several cases lodged against Patel and others related to the 2015 reservation agitation and the violence that broke out in which 10 persons, including a policeman, were killed and public properties and vehicles damaged. 

Old videos, posts surface

Netizens meanwhile questioned if it is the same Hardik Patel, who had openly made scathing attacks against the BJP, PM Modi and Amit Shah, and is now joining the same party. Meanwhile, Hardik Patel's old tweets which he made against the BJP, PM Modi and Amit Shah stand deleted.

A video is doing the rounds where he is heard saying (in Gujarati), "I am a son of a man, I will never surrender by joining BJP. We are the son of farmer. We will fight and struggle, but we will not surrender to the BJP."

Another viral video on social media platforms is from 2017. Hardik Patel is heard saying, "We just asked for our rights, what we got in return lathicharge. Our young Patidars were killed, women were assaulted. We were cheated, Patidars were cheated. Should we forget everything and join them? No. Now it is time to take revenge."

Here are some of the other videos and social media posts from the past where Hardik Patel attacked BJP and its leaders:

*Hardik Patel has attacked PM Modi several times in the past. At an interview during India Today Conclave 2018, Hardik Patel attacked PM Modi, saying, "Khul ke virodh karta hu, zara bhi chupata nahi, dum lagakar Modi ka virodh karta hu, dadagiri se virodh karta hu (Openly and without any fear I oppose Modi, I do not hide or fear).”

*In April 2019, Hardik said, "In the last 5 years Modi ji did nothing except touring country. He is 'Publicity Minister'."

*In another instance, during the time when PM Modi's ‘chowkidar’ slogan was coined, Hardik Patel had said, "I would go to Nepal to find a chowkidar or watchman but our country needs a Prime Minister."

*On June 2, Hardik Patel will be joining the BJP at state head office Kamalam in Gandhinagar. Just 5 months back, Hardik Patel said he would break the BJP's office on some issues.

*Hardik Patel had compared Amit Shah to General Dyer many times in the past. Taking a jibe at Amit Shah in 2017, Hardik Patel said, "BJP mein sahi logo ko samman nahi diya jata, lekin jo log Amit Shah ke pairo ki juti bankar rehta hai usko aage kiya jata hai (BJP doesn’t give respect to the right people, but those who follow Amit Shah are pushed forward)."

*Hardik Patel also hit out at the BJP in October 2018, saying, "Hindu Muslim ka Chashma utar kar dekho to BJP aapko bilkul nangi aur besharam nazar aayegi (If you remove the Hindu-Muslim lense, BJP will appear shameless to you)."

*He had also attacked the RSS in January 2017. "RSS desh ko apna gyan kyu baant rahi hai. Nagpur se baithe baithe desh ko chala rahe hai aisa bhram hai RSS ko. Savidhan bada ya RSS," Hardik Patel has said.

*Another viral tweet is from December 2016, where Hardik Patel had taken another jibe at the BJP, saying, "Agar subha ka deshdrohi shaam ko BJP mein jud jaye toh usse deshbhakt kehte hai (If someone who is called a traitor in the morning joins the BJP in the evening, he is called a nationalist)."

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News Network
November 11,2024

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Mangaluru: In a deeply tragic turn of events, a 28-year-old woman named Ranjitha, who had recently given birth but tragically lost her newborn, ended her life by suicide on Monday. She reportedly leapt from the fourth-floor window of Lady Goschen Hospital’s luggage room.

Ranjitha, whose strength and resilience had carried her through a difficult pregnancy, was scheduled for discharge on Monday. Her journey to Lady Goschen Hospital began on October 24, when she was transferred from Karkala. She was a high-risk patient, battling both hypertension and diabetes. At the time of her admission, she was just 27 weeks pregnant.

Due to the complexities of her health, doctors made the difficult decision to perform an emergency C-section on October 30. She delivered a baby girl, premature and weighing only 960 grams. The newborn was immediately moved to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, where doctors did all they could. Despite these efforts, the baby passed away on November 3.

Ranjitha’s sorrow was profound. She stayed under hospital care even after her initial recovery and was preparing to go home on November 9. She had even requested a couple more days at the hospital, seeking time perhaps to cope with her unimaginable grief.

On the day of her discharge, a discharge card ready and her family eagerly waiting to take her home, Ranjitha reportedly made her way to the luggage room in the early hours. There, standing on a cot placed for patients' family members, she climbed to a window and fell from the fourth floor. Despite the attempts of another visitor to intervene, tragedy was inevitable. She was rushed to Government Wenlock Hospital, where doctors confirmed the worst—she was no more.

Dr. Durgaparasad M R, the Medical Superintendent at Lady Goschen Hospital, shared his grief and spoke of the ongoing investigation. A post-mortem is to be conducted, and the local Tahsildar will complete the necessary inquest procedures. Ranjitha’s exact reasons for taking this step are yet to be confirmed, though the weight of her recent losses paints a sorrowful picture.

If you or anyone you know is struggling emotionally, please remember that help is available. Reach out to mental health experts who can provide support and guidance. The toll-free helpline number 9152987821 is available to assist anyone in distress.

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News Network
November 7,2024

Udupi, Nov 7: In a tragic turn of events, a young woman, Prasanna, aged 29, allegedly died by suicide on Wednesday, struggling to cope with the demands of work and motherhood after the birth of her daughter, according to police reports.

Prasanna had married on December 2, 2022, and was the mother of a 10-month-old baby girl. Her husband works in Bengaluru, while she lived with her in-laws, who, according to her family, treated her kindly.

In a complaint, Prasanna's mother revealed that her daughter often called her, expressing deep concerns over her readiness for motherhood. Despite receiving supportive care from her family, Prasanna felt unprepared and overwhelmed by the balance of work and home life that early motherhood required.

Her family shared that she had been undergoing treatment, but between 10 a.m. and 1:45 p.m. on Wednesday, she allegedly took her own life at her husband’s residence. The Karkala Rural Police Station has registered a case and is conducting further investigations.

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News Network
November 12,2024

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Mysuru, Nov 12: Zameer Ahmad Khan, the Tourism and Waqf minister of Karnataka, who stirred a controversy by addressing the Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy as ‘Kaala Kumaraswamy’ has tendered apologies for his remarks.

Speaking to reporters in Mysuru on Tuesday, Minister Zameer stated that he will apologise if remarks have hurt JD-S workers.

“We both are very close. Then, in a total of 24 hours, we were together for 14 hours. He used to fondly address me as “kulla” (shorty) and I used to address him as “kariyanna” (blacky, kaalia),” Minister Zameer stated.

“I am not addressing him as ‘kaalia’ for the first time. I have not said something highly derogatory. It is being made as big in the backdrop of elections. With love, he used to call me a shorty and I called him a blacky. If I had caused pain to anyone by my words I apologise,” he said.

He further stated: “Kumaraswamy had said that he didn’t want the votes of the Muslim community. But now they are attempting to purchase Muslim votes. Against this backdrop, I have made the remark.”

Minister for Home G. Parameshwara stated on Tuesday, “Minister Zameer and Kumaraswamy are close friends. Their comments against each other are not significant.”

Zameer Ahmad Khan, the Tourism and Waqf minister of Karnataka stirred a controversy on Monday as he addressed the Union Minister as ‘Kaala Kumaraswamy’.

JD-S on Tuesday demanded a public apology and resignation of Minister for Waqf and Tourism Zameer Ahmad Khan over his ‘racist’ remarks.

“Remember, there is no place here for your divisive policies. You have insulted the people by making ethnic, racist and discriminatory statements. You should apologize to the people of the state and resign,” the JD (S) demanded in the post.

Union Parliamentary Affairs and Minister for Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju reacted sternly to the racist jibe and stated, “I strongly deplore Congress Minister Zameer Ahmed calling Union Minister and former Chief Minister of Karnataka Kumaraswamy as 'Kaalia Kumaraswamy'.

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