BHOPAL: Patidar community leader Hardik Patel came under ink attack in Ujjain town of Madhya Pradesh on Saturday late evening.
A youth identified as Milind Gurjar threw ink on Patel outside the Meghdoot Hotel on Ujjain-Indore Road in Ujjain district at around 9.30 pm, just when Patel along with supporters was about to enter the hotel to address a press conference.
Gurjar who claimed to be a member of the Gurjar Mahasabha was standing in the crowd near the hotel, when Patel was about to enter the hotel. Suddenly Gurjar threw a bottle full of ink on the Patidar leader, shouting that Patel was dividing the society and was a traitor.
Supporters escorting Patel swung into action and nabbed Gurjar, after he threw ink on their leader. Gurjar was beaten up by Patel’s supporters before the cops in Patel’s security could take the ink thrower youngster into custody.
While confirming the incident, the Ujjain district superintendent of police Sachin Atulkar told The New Indian Express that the ink thrower youth who claims to be a member of Gurjar Mahasabha has been taken into custody and is being questioned. “It seems the youngster is drunk, owing to which we are unable to grill him properly,” said Atulkar.
The detained youth has been taken to Nanakhera police station for detailed questioning.
Importantly, the Patidar community leader Hardik Patel is on a tour to Madhya Pradesh currently. He had come to Ujjain after attending programs in Mandsaur, Neemuch and Jaora (Ratlam). He is scheduled to visit Raisen and then Sagar as part of his attempts to bring together the politically crucial OBC vote against the ruling BJP in the poll bound state.
Since Friday, Patel has been making it public that they would support the Congress in the year-end assembly polls in MP, if the opposition party declares former union minister and present Lok Sabha member Jyotiraditya Scindia as its CM candidate in the BJP ruled state.