Fasting Hardik's supporters prevent Medha Patkar from meeting him
Ahmedabad, Sep 1 : Anti-Narmada dam activist Medha Patkar was in for a surprise on Saturday when supporters of fasting Patidar leader Hardik Patel heckled her and prevented her from meeting him.
The 25-year-old Patel quota stir warrior has been on an indefinite fast for over eight days. Medha Patkar, who is an unwelcome face for many in Gujarat due to her stand on the Narmada project, which is hailed as the lifeline of Gujarat, was heckled and slogans were raised against her when she reached Patel's residence on the outskirts of Ahmedabad.
Hardik Patel's supporters prevented Patkar from entering the premises. When the situation worsened, one of the close associates of Patel, Manoj Panara, requested her to return.
Although she maintained that she had reached the quota leader's place on an invite from him, she had to drop the idea of meeting him. However, two of her close associates and veterans, Jyotibhai Desai and Danielbhai, later went in to meet Patel.
Meanwhhile, Hardik who is on the eighth day of his fast, has stopped taking water for the last two days. Medha Patkar said, "If Hardikbhai's health deteriorates, then the fight won't reach its logical end. He should start drinking water. I am here to support Hardik for his demands for farmers. We have an alliance of 200 farmer unions demanding total debt waiver and right price for their produce."
Manoj Panara, however, claimed that no invite had been sent to Medha Patkar. "She had called Hardik, but that was just to ask his well-being. There was no talk about her meeting him," Panara said.
Gujarat Congress chief Amit Chavda too called on Hardik and extended his support.
Meanwhile, Patel on Saturday began consuming water at the instance of a religious leader who had come to visit him. This was after medical check-up showed that sodium and potassium levels in his body had been disturbed and there was a rise in acetone in his blood, which could harm his kidneys.
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US VP JD Vance says Lebanon not part of ceasefire, calls it ‘misunderstanding’
Budapest/Washington: US Vice President J D Vance has said that Lebanon was never included in the ceasefire understanding with Iran, describing the confusion as a “legitimate misunderstanding”.
Speaking to reporters before departing from Hungary, Vance said, “I think the Iranians thought that the ceasefire included Lebanon and it just didn’t. We never made that promise.”
He stressed that the United States had not included Lebanon in the scope of the ceasefire at any stage.
His remarks come amid continued Israeli strikes in Lebanon, where more than 200 people were reported killed, even as ceasefire talks between Iran and the US move forward.
Vance said Israel had “offered … to check themselves a little bit in Lebanon because they want to make sure that our negotiation is successful”.
He warned that if Iran allows the situation in Lebanon to affect the negotiations, it could derail the talks.
“If Iran wants to let this negotiation fall apart in a conflict where they were getting hammered over Lebanon, which has nothing to do with them and which the United States never once said was part of the ceasefire, that’s ultimately their choice,” he said.
