Denied permission to meet supporters in jail, Kejriwal says 'blatant display of dictatorship in Gujarat'

Ahmedabad: The Aam Aadmi Party's national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Monday criticised the Bhupendra Patel-led BJP government for denying him permission to visit jailed farmers and his party supporters who were arrested following a violent clash with the police during kisan mahapanchayat on October 12 in Botad district.

On a three-day Gujarat visit, Kejriwal said in a press conference that he had sought permission to visit Rajkot jail to meet farmers and his party workers but was denied permission. He termed the denial of the permission as "deliberate" and a “blatant display of dictatorship by the Gujarat BJP government."

“What could be more dictatorial than this? Am I a terrorist?,” he said while speaking to the media. Kejriwal is on a three-day Gujarat visit. He addressed party workers after landing in Rajkot on Sunday.

He also me the relatives of party workers and residents of Hadadad village in Botad who have been booked following the violence on charges of attempt to murder, rioting, among others. He claimed that the farmers' agitation in Hadadad village will turn into a "BJP Quit Gujarat" movement.

"Just like how Gandhi gave the slogan of Angrezo Bharat Chhodo (British, Quit India), the agitation in Hadadad will turn into BJP, Gujarat chhodo," Kejriwal had said on Sunday.

In the violence, a total of 73 people had been arrested by the local police out of which 41 have been granted bail while the rest are languishing in jail. Kejriwal alleged that police have been delaying their bail hearing deliberately by seeking adjournments.

Kejriwal alleged that the farmers and party workers in police custody were denied water for 24 hours and were kept without food and subjected to torture.

He claimed that the BJP has been winning elections for the past 30 years because Congress was "hand-in-glove" with the BJP. “Congress never wanted BJP to lose power in Gujarat. But now people have an alternative in Gujarat,” he said.