Farmers Movement Archive

Congress leaders, workers detained

GANDHINAGAR: Several leaders of the Congress party, including GPCC president Amit Chavda were detained by the police ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the city on Friday to launch the Azadi Ka Amrut Mahotsav programme and flag off the Dandi march. A number of Congress workers were detained after the PM’s programme as well, as they attempted to participate in a protest march from Sabarmati Ashram to Kochrab Ashram. Police had not granted permission to a tractor rally by the Congress from Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi in Navsari district against the new farm laws, which Congress termed as Khedut Satyagraha. Chavda, along with leader of opposition Paresh Dhanani, former GPCC president Arjun Modhwadia, Siddharth Patel, Punja Vansh, Manish Doshi, Rutvik Makwana, Rajesh Gohel, Jasu Patel, Imran Khedwala and around 40 other workers were detained by police before they could reach Sabarmati Ashram on Friday morning. Congress leaders had planned to stage a protest march from Sabarmati Ashram to Kochrab Ashram in Paldi area, for not being allowed to organise the tractor rally. After completion of the PM’s programmes in and around Sabarmati Ashram, Congress workers attempted to reach Sabarmati Ashram, but were detained. Chavda said, “The Congress had announced the foot march in the city this morning, after police denied permission to organise the tractor rally on the Dandi march route from Ahmedabad to Dandi in Navsari district. Despite our assurance that Congress’s tractor rally on Dandi route will be held only after the PM’s event,we were not given permission. Therefore, we had decided to take out a foo tmarch in the city.” He added, “Instead of democracy, there is police raj in Gujarat.” Minister of state (MOS), home & law Pradipsinh Jadeja said, “It is unfortunate that the Congress tried to create hurdles during the launch of an event of national importance like Azadi Ka Amrut Mahotsav. Congress workers tried to create a ruckus and defame the state, so police have taken appropriate action.”

The Times of India

2021-03-13

Ahmedabad