Former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, urged Hardik Patel, Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti convener, to call off his fast unto death, stating that the youth leader’s services “are needed to this country to fight further for good causes.”
“I appreciate your courage and concern in fighting aggressively for farmers’ loan waiver and reservation for Patidar community. I urge you to stop the hunger strike immediately as your services are needed for this country to fight further for good causes,” former PM said in a letter he tweeted on September 3.
Patel has been fasting for the past 10 days and he has also prepared his will. He started his fast-unto-death on August 25 demanding reservation for his Patidar community under the Other Backward Classes category and a farm loan waiver.
Former PM Deve Gowda also wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging his intervention immediately in Patel’s fast before the youth leader’s death.
He also urged PM Modi to set up a commission to look into Patel’s demands. The former prime minister posted his letters to Patel and Modi on Twitter.
Support from opposition parties leaders have poured in as Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav has also appealed to the 25-year-old Patidar leader to end his fast and Aam Aadmi Party also extended its support to Patel over the farm loan waiver demand.
