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| A YouTube screengrab of Hardik Patel, who counts on Bal Thackeray and Babu Bajrangi as his role models |
Staff correspondent, Auust 30, 2015, NewsCrunch
Hardik Patel, who counts controversial Hindutva icon Bal Thackeray as an influence, says he has also been inspired by Babu Bajrangi, a Gujarat Bajrang Dal leader.
Babu Bajrangi, whose real name is Babubhai Patel, has been sentenced to life imprisonment by a special court for his role in Gujarat riots of 2002. He was a key accused in the Naroda Patiya massacre in which ninety-seven Muslims were murdered.
When Indian Express pointed at Babu Bajrangi's role in Gujarat riots, Hardik Patel said: “We need good people to protect society.”
Bajrangi managed Navchetan Trust, which sought to protect the honour of Hindu women by "rescuing” them from marriages to Muslims and Christians.
In 2011, Hardik started the Sardar Patel Sevadal to protect Patidar women from harassment and eve-teasing. Hardik claims to have handled 6,000 cases of sexual harassment over a period of two years and says much of his initial popularity came from this work.
Hardik Patel's new revelations would restrict his choice of political friends. After his initial rallies demanding reservation of Patels, he had been assured support by Janata Dal(U) leader Nitish Kumar.
But after Hardik Patel praised Bal Thackeray, another JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav decided to keep distance with him, reports The Hindu.
On Saturday, Hardik Patel had also been quoted saying only Muslims, who behaved like Dr Kalam, were welcome to stay in the country, not those who acted like Dawood Ibrahim.