'Jeena, marna bhagwan ke paas,' says Hardik Patel as his indefinite fast enters day 11

Sep 4 (AZINS) Influential Patidar quota leader Hardik Patel’s indefinite fat entered day 11 on Tuesday. Taking a dig at BJP government, Patel said that the ruling administration should stop threatening him.

Patel’s reaction comes hours after Gujarat minister Saurabh Patel said that the agitation was politically motivated and driven by the Congress.

“We are worried about Hardik's health. He should follow the advice of doctors, but he is not. We appeal him to cooperate with doctors,” energy minister Saurabh Patel, told media-persons in the first official reaction by the state government in relation to the protest fast, which commenced on August 25.

Hardik Patel attacked the BJP administration and said that the threats won’t work and that anyone’s life or death is in God’s hands.

Meanwhile, senior BJP leaders Yashwant Sinha and Shatrughan Sinha visited Patel at his house on Tuesday. They also supported his agitation. The former Finance minister expressed the need to take the agitation launched by Hardik Patel for the cause of farmers across the country.

"The issues on which Hardik Patel is holding fast have created an impact across the country. The issues are being discussed everywhere," he told reporters after meeting Hardik Patel.

Sinha, the convener of political action group Rashtra Manch, said the agitation launched by Hardik Patel should be taken to various parts of the country.

"One thing that we decided after a short discussion with Hardik Patel is that we need to take this agitation across the country and fight strongly," Sinha said.

He said the issues plaguing farmers in the country are serious and that farmers be granted a permanent relief including a loan waiver.

"We stand with Hardik Patel who has been raising the issue of farmers. Now the time has come that we fight together. We discussed this with him and we hope that the government wakes up now and initiate steps to resolve Hardik Patel's demands," the former BJP leader said.