Ahmedabad:

Congress backed PAAS leader Hardik Patel today started drinking water again after giving it up for 2 days on the 8 th day of his indefinite fast at his residence here which has apparently failed to draw much attention and support from commoners.

Hardik had started his fast on August 25 at his Greenwood resorts locality residence close to SG Highway after refusal of the official permission for it outside due to violence in the past during such events.

When he failed to draw attention and support as expected and any government response to his fast which the ruling BJP has termed as a political gimmick backed by Congress with eye on next Loksabha polls, two days ago he had announced to give up water too.

Last evening Gadhda Swaminarayan temple priest S P Swamy (close to Congress camp, consistently against BJP, Rahul Gandhi had visited his temple last year), had arrived at the fast venue and in presence of Babu Magukiya, advocate cum Congress leader. He requested him to start taking water. Hardik had sought a day’s time to respond to it. This morning he accepted water from Swamy’s hand.

Swamy later told newsmen that Hardik though has started taking water at his request yet he has said that he won’t take food till his demand of farmer’s loan waiver was accepted.

Doctors had advised immediate hospitalization and liquid intake. He is on the fast since August 25 demanding farmers’ loan waiver, reservation to Patidar community and release of jailed PAAS leader Alpesh Kathiria.

Hardik’s private doctor Dr Abhayrajsinh Zala said that he was suffering from severe electrolytic imbalance and rise in acetone level in blood serum which would affect his kidney and other organs. He was not urinating has signs of infection in the tract.

‘As he has started taking water, it would relived him of some issues but several other health issues would remain there,’ he said.

Hardik had refused to give his blood and urine samples to Sola civil hospital doctor for last two days.

Meanwhile some of the office bearers of Umiya Mata Sansthan including its leader from Sidsar Jayram Patel today met Hardik. They said that they has gone to request him to not to give up water. Another office bearer of the highest religious body of Kadva Patel faction of Patidar community to which Hardik belong to, after meeting Hardik said that government has done many things on the demands of Patidar community.State Congress chief Amit Chavda also visited Hardik Patel today along with other Congress office bearers. Among other Congress leaders who came to support Hardik were Madhusudan Mistry and Raju Parmar.

The government has decided to keep a mobile medical van on standby mode at Hardik’s residence.

DeshGujarat