Ahmedabad: Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, who is on a brief visit to flood-hit Banasakantha district of Gujarat, was shown black flags while his car was pelted with stones by the locals on Thursday.
Window panes of the car were broken in the attack, but Rahul Gandhi escaped unhurt as he was sitting in the front seat.
BJP goons attack Cong VP Rahulji's car in Lal Chowk, Dhanera, Banaskanta, Gujarat. Disgusting & disgraceful: RS Surjewala, Cong on Twitter pic.twitter.com/LebtcJgZRq
— ANI (@ANI_news) August 4, 2017
Banaskantha Superintendent of Police Neeraj Badgujar confirmed to PTI that a stone was thrown at the car in which Rahul was on his way to the helipad after meeting flood victims at Dhanera. "One of the windows was damaged however Rahul managed to escape unhurt," the SP said adding that the person who allegedly threw a stone at Rahul's convoy has been detained.
The Congress vice-president is in the state to take a note of the flood situation.
The locals waved black flags and chanted "Modi-Modi" slogans as Rahul arrived to address a public during his visit to the Dhanera today.
Responding to the incident, Rahul asked his party men to let the protesting locals come in and said that the "protest doesn't make any difference to him". "Let those waving black flags come in. These people are scared. It doesn't make any difference to us," he said.
"Won't step back because of black flags, Narendra Modi slogans or stones," he added further.
As per PTI, Rahul left the stage in a huff minutes after black flags were waived at him during his public address.
Congress leader Randeep Surjewala called it a "disgusting and disgraceful act" and accused BJP of the incident. "BJP goons attack Cong VP Rahulji’s car in Lal Chowk, Dhanera, Banaskanta, Gujarat. Disgusting & disgraceful," he wrote on the micro-blogging website.
Another senior leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi too blamed the BJP for the incident and said that Rahul was attacked with the cement bricks and the SPG who was with him has suffered minor injuries.
"Rahul Gandhi was attacked with cement bricks by BJP goons, SPG with him suffered minor injuries; should be condemned unequivocally," Singhvi was quoted saying by ANI.
However, reacting to the development, Gujarat Deputy CM Nitin Patel said that he feels the attack on Gandhi's convoy was 'pre-planned'. "I feel this attack is pre-planned," NewsX quoted Patel saying.
