Anandiben govt, BJP pushing Gujarat into lawlessness: Congress

Raises questions over handling of situation arising out of demonstrations by Patel community

Congress has held the Gujarat state administration and the BJP responsible for the flare up in Gujarat which has led to the loss of eight lives till date.

Accusing the BJP government and Chief Minister Anandiben Patel of pushing the state into lawlessness, the Congress has questioned the need for the administration to resort to lathi charge and firing instead of engaging in dialogue with the protesting members of the Patel community demanding reservation.

Attributing the current crisis in Gujarat to the failure of Narendra Modi's "Gujarat Model', both the Congress and the Left have stated that it has exposed the hollowness of the tall claims of inclusive growth in the state.

Congress Communication incharge Randeep Surjewala today said, that practically the whole state had been impacted; curfew has been imposed in the four main cities of Ahmedabad, Surat, Rajkot and Mehsana the past for 48 hours and the Army has had to be called in.

Thousands have been injured and hundreds arrested without warrant; demanding to know why the police fired on unarmed people which led to several deaths. Questioning the unwarranted excessiveness of the police response, Surjewala asked, why internet, SMS, whatsapp and other services have been shut down for 48 hours.

Reacting to the chief minister's statement that she had not ordered lathicharge and firing, Surjewala said, "This is indeed serious. If this is true, is Gujarat being run from PMO now?"

Raising questions about the much hyped Guajrat Model, the Congress alleged it exposed the hollowness of the claims where discontented section was demanding quota.

However, its not just the Congress alone, the Left parties too have attributed the arson in Gujarat to the failure of the Gujarat model. CPIM General Secretary Sitaram Yechury today said, "That, this (demand for reservation) should come from a fairly well-to-do community is the clearest proof that the Gujarat model is not an inclusive model." Adding, The agitation has "thoroughly exposed all the claims that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been making and all the propaganda that we have heard for more than two years on this so-called Gujarat model".