The Gujarat Police prohibited Congress leaders and workers from Maharashtra from entering Surat to extend support to their leader, Rahul Gandhi, who was in the city to attend court on Monday.
Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat condemned the police’s action and said: “Many leaders and workers of the Congress from various part of the country are trying to reach Surat. Many vehicles of Congress workers were stopped and forced to park besides highways. It is an unfortunate act of Gujarat Police. The police also ensured that no one captured videos of the incident.”
Congress leaders condemn police decision
“The Gujarat Police was ensuring the Congressmen do not reach Surat under any circumstances, and this act is condemnable,” Thorat said. “In a democracy, people will gather, they will express their views, but unfortunately their voice is being suppressed.”
Mumbai Congress president Bhai Jagtap and Former Maharashtra minister Yashomati Thakur also condemned the police’s decision. Thakur said the police stopped her vehicle multiple times and inspected it in the name of security. “They are the same police who facilitated some MLAs from Maharashtra who went to Surat to bring down the then MVA government. They are now creating obstructions for us,” she said.
Thakur said when she asked the police about the frequent checks, she was told that her interactions were being seen live in Gandhinagar. She said she told the police to show the live feed to the Prime Minister’s Office.
“I also told them that they can put me in jail, but I will definitely go to Surat. Have you put restrictions on the movement of people? If our leader is visiting Surat, should we not visit him?” she asked.
Rahul Gandhi reached Surat on Monday on a scheduled commercial flight along with his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
(To receive our E-paper on WhatsApp daily, please click here. To receive it on Telegram, please click here. We permit sharing of the paper's PDF on WhatsApp and other social media platforms.)
