Patidar wave: All hands on the deck

The Patidar community agitating for in clusion in Other Backward Classes (OBC) has taken micro-management to a higher level as it prepares for the mother of all rallies-the Ahmedabad Maharally on August 25.

The first control room for Patidar rally was started at Hetarth party plot near Science City. A large team of 50,000 leaders and volunteers are managing even the smallest aspect of the rally-transportation, food, lodging, boarding, parking and ensuring volunteers for odd jobs -for participants expected to come from across the state.Sources said members of the Patidar community are preparing to flood Ahmedabad in pursuit of their demand for OBC status.
Patels have opened doors of party plots, community halls and even schools and colleges they own for Patidars who will be coming to Ahmedabad for the maharally. Nearly 25 school campuses have given their commitment to host Patidars coming from outside city.
On Friday , kitchens were set up at many party plots and community halls. Cooking oil tins and foodgrain bags are stacked in these places for preparing snacks for Patidars who are expected to march into Ahmedabad in an unprecedented show of strength. On the menu are sev, thepla, mohanthal, gathiya, fuklwadi and other dry snacks that are being prepared in lakhs of kilo grams.
" We are expecting 20 lakh Patidars to join the Ahmedabad mahar ally," said said Hardik Patel, convenor of Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti." Rallies will begin from different areas of the city and con verge on GMDC ground."
Hardik claimed that the city will not have to be shut down - it will shut down on its own.

Doctor team at venue
Ahmedabad Civil Hospital will deploy a team at the GMDC ground on August 25.The hospital's medical superintendent M M Prabhakar said: " The team has members from all departments. It'll be at the venue from 9am till evening."
Rally leaders take over GMDC ground
Patidar leaders have made the GMDC ground their home since Friday afternoon.Several Patel youth leaders are working round-the-clock.Ketan Patel, an organizer, said that they want everyone to sit on the ground.
134 Patidar WhatsApp groups under surveillance
Police sources said that 134 WhatsApp groups on mobile phones formed by agitating patidars across the state have been put under surveillance to tracks their activity. Three FB accounts of prominent youth leader steering the agitation are also under police scanner. Police were alerted about social media based mobilization when 15 youths fasting at Sabarmati riverfront suddenly swelled to over 1,000." Message was put on WhatsApp saying reach riverfront with vehicle" .