HD Deve Gowda urges Hardik Patel to end indefinite hunger strike, says ‘your services are needed for this country’

Even as the Patidar agitation leader, Hardik Patel’s indefinite hunger strike reached the tenth day JD(S) patriarch HD Deve Gowda penned down a letter for him, urging him to end his fast. While appreciating his courage to fight for farmers’ loan waiver and reservation for Patidar community, the former Prime Minister of India urged him to withdraw his hunger strike, owing to his repeatedly deteriorating health, saying, “your services are needed for this country to fight further for good causes.”

Appealing to him to end his indefinite hunger strike, Deve Gowda also advised him to later on continue his agitation “till your demands will be fulfilled by the Governments.”

The former Chief Minister of Karnataka, who is also the father of the incumbent CM, HD Kumaraswamy, slammed the State and Central governments for delaying to form a Committee to implement Hardik Patel’s demands, which, he said, are in the “larger interest of the farmers and the younger generation.”

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Deve Gowda also expressed his sorrow for his inability to come and meet him personally, owing to prior and pressing engagements in Karnataka.

The 25-year-old quota leader, who hasn’t reportedly eaten in last ten days and drunk water in the last 36 hours, unveiled his will on Sunday, as per which he divided his property to his parents, sister and 14 youths killed during the quota agitation. Patel also donated a portion of his property to a cowshed of ill and old cows.

While unveiling his will, Hardik Patel also expressed his desire to donate his eyes in case of his death.

Patel has been sitting on the indefinite hunger strike since August 25, the third anniversary of Patidar quota agitation, which had turned violent. The quota leader has been demanding loan waiver for farmers and reservation in government jobs and education for Patidars under other Backward class category.