VIP visits, public rallies for support to Dalits in Gujarat continue

The stream of high-profile political leaders coming to Gujarat to express solidarity with the July 11 Dalit victims as well as protests across the state against the incident continued on Saturday.

It was the turn of Communist Party of India-Marxist leader Brinda Karat and Janata Dal-United's Sharad Yadav to call on the suicide victims at civil hospital in Rajkot and the family of the boys who were flogged at Mota Samadhiyala.

This was after Chief Minister Anandiben Patel, Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi, Nationalist Congress Party leader Praful Patel and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal respectively.

There was also speculation about Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati will come on Sunday, though no confirmation was available till evening.

Meanwhile, before leaving on Saturday, Kejriwal once again came down heavily on the Gujarat Government and said there was a gulf between police and the people in the State.

"There is a tremendous anger against Anandiben Patel government and the BJP in the state. They will be badly wiped out in the next state assembly elections (in December next year)," Kejriwal told reporters at the Rajkot airport in the morning. He had stayed put in the State Circuit House on Friday night since there is no evening flight from Delhi.

The protests against the atrocities continued with people in Wankaner in Saurashtra and Siddhpur in north Gujarat observing a shutdown and taking out processions.

While no untoward incident was reported from the rally in Wankaner town, there was stone-pelting after the protest procession in Siddhpur town.

--IANS

desai/vd