05 August,2017 09:24 AM IST | Dhanera | Agencies
Rahul Gandhi's car is attacked in Gujarat during his tour of flood-hit areas; Congress says 'deliberate' attack by BJP
Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi interacts with the flood affected people of Runi village in Banaskantha
Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi's car was on Friday stoned and its windows broken by hostile black-flag waving crowds shouting slogans in favour of Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his tour of flood-hit Dhanera town in north Gujarat's Banaskantha district.
A picture of his damaged car tweeted by Congress. Pics/PTI
At village after village, Gandhi faced crowds protesting against him but he chose to continue his tour and asserted, "I am not scared of such cowardly heckling or crowds shouting slogans for Narendra Modi. Darte woh hain jo satya nahi dekhna chahte, nahi samajhna chahte; hum ye sub darpok koshishisho se darne wale nahi hain."
"Aap logon ka dukh-dard sunney key liye aaye, samajney aaye hain, ho sakey jitni madad pahonchane aaye hain, hum en logon se dartey nahi (I came here to listen to your troubles, and bring some aid. We are not scared of these people)," he went on.
Gandhi arrived here on a day-long visit to flood-affected regions of north Gujarat from Rajasthan. The Congress Vice President was to address a brief public meeting in Lal Chowk but it had to be cancelled after he was heckled. Police lathi-charged the people to disperse them and Gandhi left the scene.
Even as his car moved on, people pelted water pouches at his cavalcade. He later proceeded on a visit of flood-hit villages of Banaskantha district. As he was going to Dhanera helipad, his car was pelted with stones.
Banaskantha and Patan districts are the worst affected in the floods in the state in 70 years.
Congress condemns attack
The Congress strongly condemned the attack on Gandhi, allegedly by BJP "goons".
Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad said, "We strongly condemn the act and the cult of violence for which the BJP and its cadres are famous. This is being deliberately done by the BJP to create an atmosphere of fear in the state of Gujarat just before the Assembly election".
