Gujarat Cong leaders, workers arrested ahead of massive rally

Several Congress workers in Gujarat were arrested ahead of their “Daman Pratikar Rally”, in Ahmedabad on Tuesday as police foiled their attempt at a massive show of strength.

City police resorted to mild lathicharge and detained state unit president Bharatsinh Solanki and other top Congress leaders, as they prevented them from holding a rally from Sabarmati Ashram to district collector office a kilometre away.

The rally was to protest against the state government’s repression of pro-quota Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti, and other groups like dalits, adivasis, middle class and minorities.

These sections felt vulnerable as a result of what the Congress called anti-people and dictatorial Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the state.

Tuesday’s rally was supposed to be the major show of strength after its grand success in last month’s districts and taluka panchayat elections.

Not wanting to take a chance, the police, which refused to give statutory permission for the rally, deployed a large force on the ground and stopped Congress workers from ten districts from entering Ahmedabad and converge on the rally venue.

Police also barricaded the “Ashram Road” leading to Sabarmati, as they stopped Workers from various parts of the state.