Hardik Patel with his supporters in Ahmedabad on August 23, 2015. The young leader is demanding reservation for Patel community in Gujarat. (AFP)
Some time after he was detained and released by the police last night, 21-year-old Hardik Patel appeared in a video message and called for a bandh in Gujarat. Speaking in Gujarati, he also appealed for calm.
In a WhatsApp message he said, "I make an appeal to maintain peace and keep calm. I give a call for Gujarat bandh tomorrow (Wednesday). This decision has been taken by Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti considering widespread violence in the state."
After news of Mr Patel's detention had spread, clashes and cases of arson, allegedly by the young politician's angry supporters, were reported from different parts of Gujarat till late in the night.
This morning, Hardik Patel - very visible in the last two months as the face of the massive Patel campaign for reservation - has been inaccessible and it is not known where he is. He did not answer his phone when this reporter repeatedly tried to contact him.
His organisation, which is spearheading the agitation for quota in government jobs and colleges for the influential Patel community in Gujarat, has not announced its next plan of action.
Mr Patel had said yesterday that he would stage a 48-hour hunger-strike at the venue of his mega rally in Ahmedabad, but was removed from there late last night by the police which said he had no permission to stay on at the public grounds after the rally.
Hardik Patel has stressed that he owes allegiance to no political party. His father is a member of the ruling BJP, which was warned by the 21-year-old yesterday in a speech not to take the support of the Patel community for granted.
Mr Patel's family runs a small business in submersible pumps in rural Ahmedabad.
The Commerce graduate has been part of an organisation called the Sardar Patel Group since he was 17, and set up his Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti only in July this year.