Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel lashed out at Patidar leader Hardik Patel for accepting the Congress formula on job quotas and supporting it in upcoming Assembly elections, calling him a "fool".
"Fools have given a formula and fools have accepted it," a fuming Nitin Patel said. "I have not seen a more foolish person than Hardik. He is young boy. He may have got some love from the community but they are going to perish soon."
Launching a vicious attack against the young Patel leader for almost 10 minutes, the Deputy Chief Minister said leaders like him are like black stars who will extinguish.
“Many leaders like you (Hardik) have come and gone into oblivion. This is all temporary.
"In the past such leaders emerged during Nav Nirman agitation and other agitations. Now even their neighbours do not know about them. You will all vanish.
"The community will take revenge... They will hunt you and take revenge. Your name will be written in black letters in the history of the community and you won't be able to show your face," Nitin Patel thundered.
At a press conference amid reports of the Congress-PAAS alliance hitting a dead end over seat-sharing, Hardik Patel today announced that the Congress had accepted his demands regarding provision of quota to the Patel community if they win the upcoming elections and form government. The Patidar movement leader also said that they were not agents or supporters of the Congress but were fighting against the BJP. "Directly or indirectly, the benefit will go to Congress," he said.
Responding to the Gujarat Chief Minister’s tirade against him, Patel said that the BJP had insulted the Patel community and that the party would pay for its misdeeds.
“The Gujarat Deputy CM has called the Patel community fools. BJP should not consider the people of Gujarat foolish. The people of Gujarat will now show you people’s rule.”
Nitin Patel also came down heavily on Hardik Patel for using Sardar Patel's and Bhagat Singh's names during the Patel agitation.
"If you want to take the name of Rahul Gandhi, do so but you have no right to take the name of Sardar and Bhagat Singh... You are being cheated by people around you. You are dumb."
He alleged that Hardik Patel was responsible for the infighting within the Patel community.
"The Patel community was strong and united. All because of you, now the Patels are fighting within. You have worked to destroy its reputation. Politics is fine, government is fine but you have put our community to shame.
"Elections will be over on December 18 but the seeds of poison you have sown, the community will have to reap its harvest for long," the Deputy Chief Minister said.
Nitin Patel, who is a candidate from the Patel stronghold Mehsana, appeared so worked up that he asked Hardik Patel to go back to his hometown and ask elders how "Nitinbhai" had helped people there.
"We have been appealing to you despite you insulting us, despite you breaking our offices. Do not think that we cannot retort. Just because we are in power, we have to maintain dignity. In 55-60 years of my political career, I have seen many like you," he added.
(With IANS inputs)
