India
Hitting out at the BJP government, Congress leader Ashok Gehlot has claimed that the Intelligence Bureau and the Gujarat Police searched the hotel rooms after he met with Patidar leader Hardik Patel and Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani.
Updated : Oct 24, 2017, 08:45 AM IST
Hitting out at the BJP government, Congress leader Ashok Gehlot has claimed that the Intelligence Bureau and the Gujarat Police searched the hotel rooms after he met with Patidar leader Hardik Patel and Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani.
"Why CCTV footage was taken by IB and police from the hotel? Is the right to privacy, sole proprietorship of Jay Amit Shah?," Ghelot asked in a series of tweets.
"I met Hardik n Jignesh in Ummed Hotel. IB, Police are checking hotel rooms. @PMOIndia @narendramodi ji Wat is happening in Gandhiji's Gujarat?. The rooms which have been booked in my name are being checked," Gehlot said.
The Congress leader said that they met them and will keep meeting them in future too.
He also asked if Hardik Patel and Jignesh Mevani are criminals or absconders saying, "If that is so, BJP must clear its stand."
"I condemn all this surveillance being done on BJP's orders," he said.
I met Hardik n Jignesh in Ummed Hotel. IB, Police are chckng hotel rooms.@PMOIndia @narendramodi ji Wat is happening in Gandhiji's Gujarat?
— Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) October 23, 2017
The rooms which hv been booked in my name are being checked.
— Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) October 23, 2017
We are openly saying, we have met them n will keep meeting them in future too.
The rooms which hv been booked in my name are being checked.
— Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) October 23, 2017
We are openly saying, we have met them n will keep meeting them in future too.
When they met BJP leaders, then their offices were not checked. Why it is being done now? #Gujarat
— Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) October 23, 2017
Are #HardikPatel and #JigneshMevani criminals or absconders? If that is so, BJP must clear its stand.#Gujarat
— Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) October 23, 2017
Why CCTV footage was taken by IB n police from Hotel? Is the right to privacy, sole proprietorship of #JayAmitShah?
— Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) October 23, 2017
I condemn all this surveillance being done on BJP's orders.#Gujarat
— Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) October 23, 2017
The Congress had invited both Hardik Patel and Jignesh Mevani to join it ahead of Assembly polls in Gujarat.
Meanwhile, the Ummed Hotel did not deny sharing the CCTV footage, reported Indian Express.
When contacted, Vikram Singh Shekhawat, chief security officer of the hotel, told the daily, "No room was searched by police but there were many police and IB officials deployed in the hotel throughout the day due to VVIP visits. The police did ask for CCTV footage and, after consulting our top management, we provided it to them. This was all for security reasons.”
The Congress, which is out of power in Gujarat for 22 years, is wooing leaders such as Hardik Patel, Jignesh Mevani who have a significant support base in their respective communities.
However, speaking to NDTV, Jignesh Mevani said that he is clear he will join no political party. But he is also clear that he 'will do what needs to be done to bring down the BJP' in Gujarat.