Hardik Patel writes letter to parents; compares himself to martyred jawans

Hardik Patel, the 22-year-old Patidar agitator lodged in Surat jail since October 2015 over sedition charges, wrote a letter to his parents on Mother's Day where he compares himself to an army jawan who lays down his life for the country.Since July last year, Patel, convener of Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS), has been leading an agitation demanding OBC status for his caste and the agitation turned violent in August 2015, sparking off riots which lead to the death of 10 people.According to NDTV report,Patel urges his mother in the letter "not to shed tears for her son" and that,"there are hundreds of jawans leaving behind their mothers and families and serving the country and even attaining martyrdom."Hardik claimed that Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel, who had once tied him a rakhi, wants to keep him behind bars. In the letter, Patel tells his parents that he will not bow to any despotism and urges his parents to forget him and move on thinking that their young boy has sacrificed his life for the nation.Earlier on Friday, PAAS announced that the agitation over the Patel quota issue will be intensified and political leaders like Nitish Kumar, Mamta Bannerjee, Udhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray will also address a rally.