The services are expected to be resumed in Ahmedabad tonight and in Baroda this afternoon. But in Surat, Rajkot and other parts of Saurashtra, which had witnessed aggressive protest by the Patel community which is demanding reservations, the services will remain suspended.
In Surat, where Mr Patel – one of the leaders of the agitation — tried to hold a rally, cellphone internet services will remain suspended till noon on Monday.
Mr Patel, who was arrested on charge of defying prohibitory orders, was later released on bail. But his arrest had triggered sporadic incidents of violence and protests. In a bid to contain the protests and maintain law and order, the state government had stopped mobile internet services.
Last month, the Patel agitation had gone out of hand after Mr Patel put the state government on notice in several hard-hitting speeches. But after he was detained following a rally on August 25, violence had erupted across the state in which 10 people had died.
Paramilitary forces had to be stationed in various districts to control the mobs and then too, the state administration had banned mobile Internet services for around a week to prevent rumours.
This time, in the middle of his negotiations with the government, Mr Patel had decided to hold the rally that had been put on freeze.
Residents of some Patel-dominated villages had withdrawn their deposits from the bank and banned the entry of political leaders.
The wealthy and influential Patel community had been agitating for quota in education and government jobs – a demand that the Anandiben Patel government had turned down.
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