BJP MP Demands Action Against Gujarat Police, 23 Party Councillors Quit

AHMEDABAD: Outraged by the alleged police atrocities a Patel community rally here as well as other parts of the state, BJP's Lok Sabha MP from Amreli Naran Kachhadiya wrote letter to Chief Minister Anandiben Patel and demanded action against the responsible officers.

In a similar development in Visnagar town of Mehsana district, 25 councillors of Visnagar municipality, 23 of them of BJP, have tendered their resignation as part of their protest against the alleged atrocities by police on citizens during recent violence across the state.

In his letter to the CM, Kachhadiya condemned the use of force, which according to him, could have been avoided.

"I saw in news channels that policemen were beating innocent citizens in many parts of Ahmedabad. Police stormed people's houses after breaking their doors, forcefully opened the gates of housing societies and beat up people and ransacked their furniture," Kachhadiya told PTI.

"Police also detained several innocent citizens. Such things should not have been done by police. Thus, I wrote a letter to the CM today and requested her to take action against those who were responsible. I also demanded compensation for those who lost their lives," said Kachhadiya.

Twenty-five out of 36 sitting councilors of Visnagar municipality of Mehsana district, have tendered their resignation as part of their protest against the police action.

Out of these 25 elected representatives, 23 are from ruling BJP while 2 are from Congress, said Chief Officer of Visnagar Municipality P G Raichandani.

"Among these 25 members, 20 belong to Patel community, including 18 of BJP and two of Congress. They were unhappy over the recent crackdown on citizens by police in various parts of state after a Patel reservation rally at GMDC ground in Ahmedabad," said Raichandani.

These councillors have submitted their resignations to the president of Visnagar municipality Girish Patel, he added.