87 supporters of Rahul Gandhi detained in Navsari on way to Surat, including 51 from Maharashtra

Congressmen from various parts of the country tried to reach Surat to support Gandhi, who challenged his conviction by a lower court in a criminal defamation case

Gujarat: 87 supporters of Rahul Gandhi detained in Navsari on way to Surat including 51 from Maha, says police

Senior Congress leaders from Maharashtra on Monday claimed vehicles of the party workers headed towards Surat to extend support to Rahul Gandhi were stopped by the Gujarat Police.

Navsari superintendent of police, Karan Raj Vaghela, said a total of 87 persons were detained, including 51 from Maharashtra, when they were on their way to Surat travelling in at least a dozen vehicles to support their leader Rahul Gandhi.

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"We detained 87 persons at around 11 am and released them at 4 pm. We held them out of concern over the law and order situation in Surat where they were headed," he told PTI.

Earlier in the day, former Maharashtra minister Balasaheb Thorat said several leaders and workers of Congress were asked to pull over, and the Gujarat Police was ensuring they do not capture videos.

Similar allegations were made by Mumbai Congress president Bhai Jagtap and former Maharashtra minister Yashomati Thakur.

Congressmen from various parts of the country tried to reach Surat to support Gandhi who challenged in the sessions court his conviction by a lower court in a criminal defamation case over his "Modi surname" remarks. He was granted bail.

"From Maharashtra also, Congress leaders and workers were going to Gujarat. Gandhi is fighting for the country, fighting for democracy, fighting to save the Constitution," Thorat said in a social media post. Several Congress workers and leaders headed to the Gujarat city to extend support to Gandhi and show that he is not alone in the fight, he said.

The vehicles of Congress leaders and workers were stopped, they were asked to pull over, and police were ensuring they do not capture the videos, claimed Thorat. In nutshell, the Gujarat Police was ensuring the Congressmen do not reach Surat under any circumstances, and this is condemnable, he said.

"In a democracy, people will gather, they will express their views, but unfortunately their voice is being suppressed," Thorat claimed. Congress MLA Yashomati Thakur, who was also headed towards Surat, alleged they were being subjected to suppression for extending support of Gandhi. Thakur claimed the Gujarat Police stopped her vehicle multiple times and inspected it in the name of security checks.

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"They are the same police who facilitated some MLAs from Maharashtra who went to Surat to bring down the then (MVA) government, but is now creating obstructions for us,” she alleged. Thakur said when she questioned the police over frequent checks, she was told her interaction was being seen live in Gandhinagar (the capital of Gujarat).

"I even told them that they can show the live feed of their action to the PMO," she said. "We treat all religions equally and stand for the Constitution. I also told them that they can put me in jail, but I will definitely go to Surat," the former minister said.

Rahul Gandhi reached Surat on Monday via a scheduled commercial flight along with his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. In other videos shared by Thakur, she was seen confronting the Gujarat police.

"When Gujarat MLAs visit Maharashtra, you need to check them as well. We are not afraid of you people. Don't you people (police) catch liquor being transported to Gujarat? You also need to tell us how the liquor reached Gujarat.

"Have you put restrictions on the movement of people? If our leader is visiting there (Gujarat), should we not visit him?" she asked a police official. Responding to her questions, an unidentified official in uniform asked, "Should we not check vehicles? We also have to perform our duty". Thakur replied saying the police can do their duty but they should do it respectfully.