In Mehsana, Patidar women try to disrupt CM Anandiben’s road show

Mehsana town was one of the regions which witnessed maximum violence after the August 25 rally in Ahmedabad. A number of women were booked under dacoity and allied charges following the violence. The dacoity charge was later dropped by police.

The rally started at 5 pm from Nagalpur Patiya, instead of the scheduled spot of Gopi Nala. The CM was joined by BJP MP from Mehsana Jayshree Patel, Gujarat Health Minister Nitin Patel and chairman of the Backward Classes Development Corporation Jayantilal Barot.

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As soon as the rally, with Anandiben waving the victory sign, crossed around 50 metres, a group of around 50-100 women joined the rally, clanking rolling pins with steel plates while shouting slogans against the CM and the BJP. Soon, the CM’s convoy picked up speed and went ahead of the protesting group. However, the group continued the clanking and following the rally.

Anita Patel, a protester, said that they were protesting against police atrocities on Patidars. “They killed my brother,” she said, refusing to say any further. Bhavna Patel, another woman from the group and a resident of Ranuja Nagar, said, “They have committed atrocities on us. They have beaten women and killed youths. Where was the CM then?” One more young woman from the protesting group refused to be identified. She also refused to talk to media. “What did the media do for us to get justice? I don’t want to speak with you,” she said. When asked about her name, she said, “I am a Patidar. And I am proud of it.”

At many places during the rally, the protesting women had minor scuffles with police who were trying to stop the group from reaching or overtaking the CM’s convoy. Women police constables were also seen stopping the group and even snatching the rolling pins and steel plates from the women at a number of places during the rally. The protest culminated at TB Road where a number of Patidar women and men got together and clanked rolling pins with steel plates while shouting slogans against the CM and the BJP. At many places in the rally, women supporting the BJP came close to the protesting Patidar women and shouted slogans, “Vote for BJP.” The protesting group members, in response, showed their palm (the Congress symbol). Aruna Rana, a BJP woman supporter, said, “They are protesting police action against women. But don’t they know that women should not take part in violence, that too openly? If they had any grievance, they should adopt legal means for redressal.”