Hardik Patel, the man leading the Patidar agitation for reservation in government jobs and education, got arrested today on the Rajasthan-Madhya Pradesh border while leading a march to Mandsaur to express solidarity with protesting farmers. Mr Patel, 23, who was picked up by the police in Neemuch, Madhya Pradesh, said he has been arrested on the "orders" of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. The police said he was violating the prohibitory orders in the area under Section 144, which bans the gathering of more than four persons. The orders have been in place in the area since last week, when six farmers died when the police opened fire to control the crowd at a farmers' protest.
