Ahmedabad: The Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal claimed on Wednesday that his party’s workers were attacked in Gujarat’s Junagadh district, and he had asked Chief Minister Vijay Rupani to ensure their safety and take action against the culprits.
While the Gujarat unit of the AAP alleged that the attackers were BJP workers, the ruling party denied it.
A convoy of vehicles carrying AAP leaders Isudan Gadhvi, Pravin Ram, Mahesh Sawani and others was attacked on Wednesday evening in Junagadh where they had organized `Jan Samvedna Yatra’, the AAP said.
Its Gujarat unit chief Gopal Italia was also attacked, the party said. “BJP workers attacked AAP workers at Leriya village in Visavadar area of Junagadh district…they tried to stop AAP’s procession. A mob of more than 70 people from the ruling party attacked AAP leaders and workers in Junagadh. Local party leaders are reaching Visavadar police station to register FIR,” it said.
The BJP denied the allegations.
“The BJP has nothing to do with this, none of our party workers are involved in this. A group of people from an organization were protesting against the AAP with placards on the road. When the convoy reached them, some AAP members in the cars abused them, after which they got agitated and a clash followed. Our party has nothing to do with this,” the BJP’s district president Kirit Patel told reporters. “If people like Isudan Gadhvi and Mahesh Savani are being attacked openly in Gujarat then no one is safe in Gujarat. This violence is your frustration, your defeat. Win people’s hearts by giving them good advise, don’t scare them by attacking the opposition. These people are not going to be scared,” Kejriwal tweeted in Hindi.
He also said he was “trying to talk to (Gujarat CM) Vijay Rupaniji”. Later he tweeted that he “spoke to Vijay Rupaniji” and “Urged him to file FIR, arrest the culprits, ensure strong action against culprits and ensure protection to AAP leaders and workers.” Officials at the police control room said they did not have any information about the incident.