Police foil Gujarat Congress’s ‘farm satyagraha’ plans

Gandhinagar | Even before Congress leaders could commence their version of the Dandi Yatra from the Sabarmati Ashram on Friday, the Gujarat police detained a majority of the top leadership of Gujarat Congress unit and foiled their plans.

The Gujarat police allegedly deflated the tyres of the tractors that were to be a part of the protest.

The Gujarat Congress had announced they were planning to travel to Dandi with 80 tractors as part of “Farmers Satyagrah”, calling it the initiation of second independence struggle.

But even before they could carry out their plans, the Gandhinagar police detained many of them. Many of the leaders were reportedly put under house arrest at midnight itself.

Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee president Amit Chavada, Leader of Opposition Paresh Dhanani, legislators Punjabhai Vansh and Imran Khedavala, along with senior leaders such as Arjunbhai Modhvadia, Siddharth Patel, Manish Doshi, Rutvik Makvana, Rajesh Gohel, Jasubhai Patel and many other MLAs and leaders were among those detained.

“Our leaders were under house arrest at midnight and our vehicles vandalised. Like every year, we wanted to carry out the yatra. We had even sought permission. But we were denied that,” Chavda told IANS.

“I asked the police on what basis were they arresting us, detaining or keeping us under house arrest? But they had no answers,” alleged Chavda.

Chavda said that the party will raise the issue in the Assembly on Monday. “We are not going to tolerate this and will raise this issue on Monday in the ongoing budget session of the state assembly. The Congress party won’t stop and will continue to speak for the public and fight for democratic rights,” Chavda added.

IANS

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