While the dominant Lohana community wants Amrutiya to be punished for his alleged role in the Revashia murder, the Patel community is loudly proclaiming that Amrutiya has been falsely implicated in the case. Adding to the tension is the fact that both communities are organising rallies and public meetings in support of their stands.

The Lohana community plans a massive public meeting of its members in Rajkot soon and has even issued an advertisement in the local press urging all its members to be present. In a statement, the Lohana Mahajan warned the government that it "should not forget that there are nearly 1.5 crore Lohanas all over the world who will feel wronged if the investigation intothe case is diluted or any of the accused are let off the hook."

A Lohana community leader, Janyantibhai Kundalia, however, refused to comment on the issue when contacted by The Indian Express. The Patel community is not taking things lying down either. The Patels, who are supported by a large number of BJP workers, have unleashed their own ad campaign claiming that the MLA is innocent and and is just a victim. The local press advertisements issued by the Kadva Patidar Samaj screamed `Kantibhai ne nyay apavo' and urged all Kadva Patidar Patels to back the campaign so that justice was done to `their falsely implicated leader.'

Though leaders of the Saurashtra Kutch Umiya Yuva Parishad wing of the Kadva Patidar Samaj who placed the ads refused to comment on the issue, an Patidar Samaj elder admitted that "our job is to support our kin whenever they are in trouble and that is what we are doing".

The Rajkot Lohana Mahajan Samaj, on its part, is keeping tabs on the Patels' meeting and has warned of `serioustrouble' if the issue is given a communal colour. "We don't want to disturb the peace of this city. But what the Patels are doing by pressuring the government is wrong. We strongly feel that the judiciary must take its own course and no one should interfere," said president of the Samaj, Himmatbhai Unadkat. "We are waiting and watching for the Patels' meeting on Saturday. We will decide what to do after what happens there." Though Police Commissioner Sudhir Sinha says that he doesn't expect any trouble at the meeting, State Home Minister Haren Pandya has asked Sinha and District Collector Praveen Trivedi to monitor the situation.

The issue has also divided the BJP lower rungs. While the Lohanas in the local municipal bodies are against Amrutiya, a majority of the members who are Patels have taken up the MLA's cause. In fact, several presidents and office-bearers of the BJP in local bodies like members of Morbi, Maliya-Miyana and Rajkot district panchyat have expressed support for the imprisoned MLA.