Italia says BJP conspiring against him as Patidar community supporting AAP

Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) Gujarat unit president Gopal Italia on Friday claimed that the BJP was conspiring against him at the national level and digging up old videos as his party is getting the support of the Patidar community in Gujarat.

Reacting to Union minister Smriti Irani sharing his old video and accusing him of abusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's mother, Italia asked her to share her own videos of protest against price hike when the BJP was in opposition. The AAP leader arrived here a day after he had been detained by Delhi Police outside the office of the National Commission for Women (NCW) over his alleged comments against Modi. He offered prayers at the temples of deities revered by the Patidar community at Khodaldham and Sidsar in Saurashtra region. "Troubled by the atrocities and injustice meted out by the BJP in Gujarat, the Patidar community is supporting AAP. Seeing this, BJP leaders are hatching new conspiracies by releasing videos that are two to ten years old," he told reporters. He appeared before the NCW in Delhi in response to its notice as he respects women, Italia said, accusing the NCW chairperson of speaking to him in threatening language and calling the police. "Many Patidar youths were shot dead in the past, those who survived were sent to jail on false charges. Those who survived had to join the BJP. Why is Gopal Italia or a Patidar leader (still) active in politics? The BJP hates this," the AAP leader said.

"Union Minister Smriti Irani has posted my video, but she should post her own videos of the time when she used to protest on the road with a gas cylinder (against price hike during the UPA regime)," he said.