Gujarat police arrest top AAP leader after clash with BJP

The Gandhinagar police on Monday arrested top leaders of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) including its state president Gopal Italia, Isudan Gadhvi and over 60 others for trespassing BJP headquarters, rioting, among other charges.

The arrests came after a protest by the AAP leaders at BJP office "Kamalam" in the state capital against question paper leak in the head clerk recruitment examination.

A group of AAP leaders had barged into BJP headquarters, where they sat singing "Ramdhun '' (chants of Lord Ram's name) while demanding action in the paper leak case. AAP has alleged that while they were singing "Ramdhun '' in a symbolic protest, BJP leaders 'attacked' them. The local police also arrived immediately and resorted to lathicharge to disperse the gathering. The BJP has alleged that AAP leaders created a ruckus at the party's "private office" and misbehaved with women members.

Gandhinagar Superintendent of Police, Mayur Chavda, while stating that 60 to 70 AAP leaders were arrested, said that many persons were injured in the incident including members from the "complainant's side" as police officials. When asked if several AAP leaders also suffered injuries, he told reporters that he hadn't received any complaints. The AAP leaders have been booked for trespassing (IPC-452), assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty (IPC-353), rioting (IPC-144), to be read with conspiracy (IPC 120B) among other charges against a mob of 400 to 500 people.

"Isudan Gadhvi, Gopal Italia, Nikhil Savani, Shiv Kumar, Pravin Ram and 60 to 70 other leaders have been arrested. They will be produced before the court on Tuesday. We have registered the FIR following a complaint lodged by BJP," Chavda said during a press conference. He also said that a blood sample of one person has been sent for forensic examination to ascertain if the person was drunk or not. The FIR, based on a written complaint filed by a member of BJP women's cell, mentions her alleging "Isudan Gadhvi seemed like a drunk".

In a video clip, tweeted from Gujarat AAP's Twitter handle, Isudan Gadhvi is heard saying that the party was planning to take up the issue of the paper leak as "BJP has been leaking the papers repeatedly. Eight to ten persons would be arrested but BJP leaders would get away. We had organised a meeting in Gandhinagar to decide what to do with the case since AAP is in opposition. Our 200 members were stopped from reaching Gandhinagar. Then, we decided to make a representation to C R Paatil who is running the government. Therefore, we went to Kamalam to stage a symbolic protest and while we were singing Ramdhun, BJP leaders attacked us..."

A BJP spokesperson said that "AAP entered its headquarters like anti-social elements and without any authority." It also said that nine of its members were injured after they were allegedly attacked by AAP leaders. The FIR mentions the names of AAP leaders Italia, Gadhvi, Shiv Kumar, Nikhil Savani, Hasmukh Patel, Pravin Rami.

Sources said that AAP had planned to stage a protest outside the state Assembly. It took everyone including the local police by surprise when they reached Kamalam. "Had we announced our plan in advance, they couldn't have reached the BJP office. We succeeded in our planning but many of our workers sustained injuries in their head, legs, arms and other body parts due to police lathi-charge," an AAP leader said.

Meanwhile, Delhi chief minister and party's national convener Arvind Kejriwal said in a tweet, "The barbarous attack on AAP leaders in Gujarat is highly condemnable. The voice of rights of the people can't be suppressed by sticks or dictatorship."

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