Gandhinagar- The Gujarat government has withdrawn sedition and other serious charges against key Patidar movement leaders, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel announced. The decision affects cases against prominent figures including Hardik Patel, Dilip Sabva, Alpesh Kathiriya, and Lalji Patel.

The cases stemmed from the 2015 Patidar Andolan, when the community demanded OBC status for better access to education and government jobs. The movement peaked with a massive Ahmedabad rally that drew over 500,000 participants, but turned violent after police detained Hardik Patel, resulting in 14 deaths.

Hardik Patel, now Viramgam MLA, welcomed the decision on social media, thanking the BJP government. Other leaders like Dinesh Bambhania expressed similar appreciation, though some, including Chirag Patel and MLA Kirit Patel, noted the lack of an official announcement.

MLA Alpesh Thakor called for similar relief for OBC and Dalit movement participants. BJP leader Alpesh Kathiriya confirmed the withdrawal of 14 cases, mentioning ongoing efforts to address additional cases from 2017 onward.

The Patidar movement significantly influenced Gujarat's political landscape, affecting BJP's position in the 2017 Assembly Elections as Patidar support shifted toward Congress. Several movement leaders, including Hardik Patel, later joined mainstream politics, with Patel joining BJP in 2022.