Congress workers, police clash at rally

Gandhinagar, Aug 9 (UNI) Congress workers here today clashed with the police during a rally held here to protest against the ''BJP government's administrative failure''.

Deputy superintendent of police Brahm Bhatt was also injured when a stone hit him on the face.

Even as Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee president Bharat Solanki was addressing the rally, a commotion started following which the police baton charge the workers. They also burst teargas shells. This angered the gathering which started pelting stones at the police.

Meanwhile, Mr Solanki, addressing the gathering, alleged that the state government had failed to check inflation, tackle farmers issues, the law and order situation in the state had worsened, while the much-hyped Sujalam Sufalam scheme was mired in corruption.

Besides Mr Solanki, Leader of Opposition Arjun Modhwadia and several other prominent leaders were also present at the meeting.

Later they met Gujarat Governor Naval Kishore Sharma and submitted a memorandum.

In the memorandum, the Congress alleged that the Narendra Modi government had failed on all fronts, and there was no communal harmony.

The memorandum said because of the communal violence perpetrated against the minority community, Mr Modi was denied a visa by the US.

The farmers in the state are faced with a power shortage but the state government, instead of coming to their help, arrested 4,000 farmers who were protesting the unavailability of power, the memorandum said.

The memorandum also cited the rape of two girls belonging to the Koli community on May 13 this year. Further, the memorandum alleged that there was crass commercialisatuion of education in the state.

Accusing Mr Modi of running the government in an autocratic manner, the memorandum said the Opposition was stifled on raising important issues on the floor of the House under the threat of suspension.

Gujarat, the memorandum said, is suffering a burden of huge debt of Rs 87,000 crore.

UNI