Gujarat Congress workers, supporters rally in solidarity with Jignesh Mevani amid police controversy

Ahmedabad: Large number of Congress workers and supporters of MLA and dalit leader Jignesh Mevani on Wednesday came out in open and held rallies at various places across the state in solidarity with him.

Mevani is at the centre of a controversy over his statement in which he allegedly threatened police personnel of losing their jobs for not taking action against bootleggers and drug dealers.

On Monday, while addressing Congress' "Jan Akrosh Yatra" in the newly formed Vav-Tharad district, previously part of Banaskantha, Mevani had criticised the police for alleged rampant sale of liquor and drugs in the region. He had said that "if the police personnel don't work their badges will be stripped off."

Subsequently, it snowballed into a major controversy after deputy chief minister Harsh Sanghavi and Director General of Police Vikas Sahay without mentioning Mevani's name criticised the statement.

Protests erupted against Mevani by police families in north Gujarat's Sabarkantha, Banaskantha and Vav-Tharad districts who demanded an apology and resignation of Mevani.

The state Congress, meanwhile, has come in support of Mevani, who is also one of the working presidents of the party.

Congress leader Lalji Desai held a press conference in Delhi where he claimed that in the past four years drugs worth Rs16,000 crore were seized but no key accused were held.

Desai, who is also the chief of Seva Dal, also mentioned how Mevani with members of public conducted a "public raid" on a shop which was found selling drugs right next to a school.