Mehsana: Visnagar court on Wednesday held Patidar leader Hardik Patel guilty in case related to vandalizing Bharatiya Janta Party legislator Rushikesh Patel’s office in Visnagar during 20015 Patidar protests, and awarded him with jail for 2 years.

The court also held head of Sardarpatel group, Laljibhai Patel guilty in the case and also punished him with 2 year jail term.

Hardik has been sentenced under section 147, 148, 149, 427 and 435.

He has also been asked to pay Rs 40,000 to the BJP MLA, whose office was vandalized and property was damaged. Also, Rs 1lakh is to be given to the car owner whose vehicle was damaged.

Moments after the verdict, the Patidar leader took to Twitter saying he will emerge as a bigger challenger.





Gujarat’s Patidar community in 2015 held protests across the state seeking OBC status for them.




The verdict comes days after Hardik’s recent announcement of an indefinite hunger strike, which was set to begin next month; the move which seemed to be yet another attempt to revive the quota agitation movement in Gujarat after a post-election lull.



Patel had said that he will launch an indefinite fast beginning 25 August, the third anniversary of his address to a huge gathering in Ahmedabad, an event which was affected by violence.