MUMBAI: Modi-chants, black flags and stones on his convoy greeted Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi on his visit to flood affected Banaskantha village in Gujarat on Friday. The violent outburst injured security personnel and damaged the exterior of the car, sources said.
As Rahul Gandhi was surveying the area, he was booed away by chanting slogans of Modi-Modi and was shown black flags. As his approached Lal chowk of Danera town, a stone was thrown at the convoy damaging a car, local police sources have said.
Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi said that as Rahul Gandhi was surveying the area, BJP goons attacked his convoy with cement bricks shattering the glass.
"Let them come, and wave black flags. They are the frightened people. Their acts won't affect us," Rahul Gandhi said after the incident.
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 and some window panes were shattered.
Gandhi is to take a tour of Banaskantha and Patan districts, which are the worst affected regions in the floods in the state in 70 years. North Gujarat is otherwise a drought-prone region.
Over 270 persons are estimated to have died and 4.5 lakh people affected by the floods in the state.
As many as 61 persons have been killed in Banaskantha alone, while seven died due to heavy rains and flood waters following rains in upstream Rajasthan.
The Congress has set up a control room to coordinate relief work in the flood-affected regions.
Party's nominee for the August 8 Rajya Sabha election Ahmed Patel, state president Bharatsinh Solanki and party in-charge for Gujarat Ashok Gehlot have visited north Gujarat. Rahul Gandhi is accompanied by Solanki, Gehlot and former state president Arjun Modhwadia.
(With IANS inputs)