Kejriwal to meet families of Patel youths killed in quota stir

Ahmedabad, Oct 7: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will meet families of the youths who were killed during the Patidar (Patel) quota agitation in Ahmedabad and Mehsana when he visits Gujarat next week.

The state would having Assembly elections next year. Kejriwal, whose party is making efforts to make inroads in Gujarat, will also hold a rally in Surat on October 16.

"Arvind Kejriwal will come to Gujarat on October 15 and will head for Mehsana where he will meet family members of youths who were martyred during Patidar quota agitation. He will also visit family members of deceased youths in Ahmedabad," Aam Aadmi Party's Delhi MLA and Gujarat in-charge Gulab Singh Yadav said today.

"Kejriwal will meet Patidar leaders at Mehsana circuit house," Yadav said, adding that the AAP's national convener will also visit Umiya Mata temple at Unjha in Mehsana. Umiya Mata is a revered deity of the Patidar community. On October 16, Kejriwal will hold a public rally at Yogi Chowk in Surat's Varachha area, Yadav said.

Before the rally, Kejriwal will meet business leaders and people from various communities. Yadav alleged that BJP workers and Surat Municipal Corporation were tearing down the hoardings put up by AAP ahead of the rally.

"In the last two days our hoardings were torn by BJP supporters and the municipal corporation," he said. "BJP supporters are trying to spread a rumour that Kejriwal supports Pakistan. But people are not affected by this, they are looking forward to his visit.

The kind of fear visible in BJP camp due to the planned rally shows that the party is somewhere apprehensive about defeat in the 2017 Assembly elections," he said.

PTI