7 Congress leader detained in Gujarat, MLAs disrupt Assembly

Seven Congress leaders, including Gujarat party president Arjun Modhwadia and Leader of Opposition in state Assembly Shankarsinh Vaghela, were today detained by police on their way to Nandasan village to take part in a public meeting for which permission was denied.

Following the detention of their leaders, Opposition members created ruckus in the state Legislative Assembly and did not allow the House to function for around 25 minutes at the start of the day's work.

Congress leaders Modhvadia, Vaghela, VV Rabari, Jagdish Thakore and others were going to participate in the meeting organised by 'maldhari' (cattle owners) community at Nandasan village in Gujarat's Mehsana district this morning.

"We had denied permission for the meeting. We detained seven Congress leaders outside the town and took them to Gandhinagar," police inspector Ashwin Patel said.

"The Congress leaders were later released," Gandhinagar Superintendent of Police Sharad Singhal said.

A truck carrying cow meat was caught near Nandasan village about a week back, after which villagers had sat on a dharna on state highway and stopped traffic movement.

The Congress and maldhari community had today organised a public meeting against trafficking of cow meat, as cow slaughter is banned in Gujarat.

Congress MLAs raised the issue of detention as soon as the Assembly began its session today and created a ruckus on the issue. Nearly 10 MLAs rushed to the well of the House.

However, after a warning by Speaker they returned to their place.

Speaker Vaju Vala ruled out permission to discuss the detention of the leaders and told the Congress MLAs that they could take up the issue once the Question Hour was over.

After 25 minutes of disruption, regular business was taken up in the House.