BJP demands apology from Cong’s Mevani over ‘insult to PM, OBC community’

The Gujarat Congress has organised a ‘Jan Akrosh’ Rally in north Gujarat since November 21, aimed at raising several issues faced by the people. Mevani, also a working president of the party’s state unit, is one of the leading faces of the yatra. Mevani has been raising the issue of “menace of liquor and drugs” in the state and targeting the ruling BJP’s leadership over the issue.

On Monday, he addressed some public meetings in Patan district and one of them was also attended by senior party leader Pawan Khera.

Hitting out at Mevani over his speech at a public meeting in Patan Monday, Gediya “condemned” the “language used by Mevani” while purportedly referring to PM Modi.

Gediya said, “The Congress is unable to digest the personality of (Prime Minister) Narendrabhai (Modi) who hails from the OBC community, that too from a backward and small community. In that context, it is an insult to the entire OBC community. It is an insult to entire north Gujarat. It is an insult to a mother. This cannot be tolerated.”

Quoting Gediya, a BJP statement said, “On behalf of BJP, I demand that as you (Mevani) have insulted the Prime Minister and his mother, you should apologise for that. Scheduled Caste Morcho and our leaders will hold protest programmes across the state till Mevani apologises for his statements.”

Gediya questioned what developmental works the MLA (Mevani) has done in his constituency.

“Instead of development, you have started a shop of hatred (nafrat ni dukan)…You are only spreading hatred in the entire state and it becomes clear from your statements,” Gediya alleged.

Gediya cited 27 cases of alleged atrocities on Dalits in Vadgam assembly constituency and asked how many of the affected families Mevani has visited.

Asked about what action SC Morcho of Gujarat has taken on a number of issues of Dalits including atrocities against them, Gediya claimed that whenever found required, they have done “advocacy”. He added that in some recent incidents, “ministers reached the spot directly to ensure justice for the victims.”

Meanwhile, reacting sharply to Gediya’s remarks, chairman of the Gujarat Congress’s SC department, Hitendra Pithadiya, questioned the timing of Gediya’s press conference.

In a post in Gujarati on social media, Pithadiya stated, “Why did SC Morcho president of BJP Gautam Gediya have to do a press conference today itself?”

“In the BJP rule of the past three decades, why did this Morcho not speak anything at the time of atrocities on Dalits and on black trade of narcotic substances?” Pithadiya asked.
Pithadiya also put out a list of 20 questions for Gediya, related to issues concerning Dalits, use of “uncontrolled” language by senior BJP leaders and “illegal trade of narcotics ruining youths in Gujarat.”