Congress workers and members of Kutch Asmita Manch clashed at Naliya in Kutch district today.
Congress has organised 'Beti Bachao' rally from Naliya to Gandhinagar to protest a gang rape case where some local BJP leaders are among the accused. The rally started today.
Senior Congress leaders including Leader Of Opposition in Assembly Shankersinh Vaghela, state Congress chief Bharatsinh Solanki and Shaktisinh Gohil took part in the rally.
As the rally started at Naliya, KAM members showed black flags and shouted slogans against Vaghela, saying he defamed Kutch by his statement that Kutch had turned into a sex hub.
Police said they detained briefly over a dozen persons from both sides after a minor clash.
After the rally reached Bhuj, Gohil hit out at BJP at a press conference, alleging that it tried to stop the rally using KAM as a front.
"How will Kutch get a bad name if Congress fights for justice to a Kutchi daughter? BJP is scared, knowing well that if proper investigation is conducted (of gang rape), names of many top leaders will be revealed for involvement. We demand investigation by a sitting High Court judge," he said.
Congress also brought a woman to the press conference, who said she was a BJP taluka panchayat member from the district, and was raped by a BJP leader, but police had not taken any action on her FIR, lodged five months ago.
"I lodged FIR against a local BJP leader named...Some five months ago, but the police did nothing. A lot of pressure was put on me not to lodge any FIR. And he has not been arrested yet, because of pressure from the ruling party," the woman alleged.
"BJP leaders said that you being a taluka member, you
should not lodge FIR. If being a BJP member I am not getting justice, how will someone who isn't associated with the party get justice?" she said.
The rally later passed through Gandhidham and Bachau.
Eight persons including local leaders of BJP have been arrested in connection with the gang rape of a woman at Naliya town. The woman said in the FIR that the accused made video of the act and blackmailed her further. They were running a sex racket and many other women were victimised in the same way, she said.
BJP suspended four local workers, named in the FIR, after the incident came to light.
