Launching the Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) campaign for 2017 Gujarat Assembly polls, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday attacked BJP president Amit Shah, equating him with "General Dyer" and tried to woo Patidar community by calling Patel quota agitation leader Hardik Patel as a "patriot".
The Delhi Chief Minister announced that the AAP will contest the next assembly election in Gujarat and asked the people to "throw out (BJP President) Amit Shah" who he said was running the state by proxy.
Amit Shah has thrown an open challenge to the people of Gujarat that he will run the state whichever way he wants and no one can do anything about it...Are you ready to fight the elections, win and throw out Amit Shah? The next Gujarat election will not be an election but a revolution...It will be Amit Shah versus the people of Gujarat.Arvind Kejriwal
Using the phrase "aam aadmi" (common man) for the Aam Aadmi Party, Kejriwal said that the "aam aadmi" would take on both the Congress and the state's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) next year.
Protests Erupt at Venue of Kejriwal's Rally in Surat, 35 Detained
A few protesters grouped under Brahma Samaj and self-proclaimed Patidar activists tried to raise slogans against the AAP chief but they were rounded by the police.
Those detained were protesting against the AAP supremo for his comments "seeking proof" of the army's surgical strikes on terror launchpads in PoK.
Around 35 protesters were detained and later released
Protesters, waving black flags and breaking black earthen pots, dubbed Kejriwal as "pro-Pakistan" and asked him to leave Surat.
AAP Draws Support From Patidar Andolan
However, Police sources in Surat said Kejriwal's rally drew a good response because of the backing of Hardik Patel's Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) and its activists.
The same PAAS had disrupted a rally of Amit Shah in the same Patel-dominated area of Surat last month, forcing him to wind up his speech in just four minutes.
The AAP leader said the Surat gathering reminded him of the Anna Hazare movement of 2011 when the the "whole nation" had come out on the streets.
Taking up cudgels for the agitating Patidars, Kejriwal said the Gujarat government was trying to suppress them "in the same way it crushes all those who raise their voice".
Kejriwal Meets Family of Youth Killed by Cow Vigilantes
Earlier in the day, Arvind Kejriwal met family members of a Muslim youth, who was allegedly killed by cow vigilantes on the suspicion of carrying a calf for slaughter.
Mhammad Ayyub was beaten on SG Highway on the night of 13 September after his car met with an accident and a calf he was carrying died. Some people allegedly beat him up suspecting he was carrying the calf for slaughter, according to the police.
He died at civil hospital in Ahmedabad three days later.
We met Kejriwal and sought his help to get justice for our brother. He assured us that he will help us in getting justice and also took our mobile number and said he will meet us when he is in Ahmedabad next time... We also sought his help in getting compensation. Government never cared to contact us to find out about our plightMohammad Arif, Victim’s Brother
(With PTI, IANS Inputs.)
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