Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia and Gujarat’s quota stir spearhead Hardik Patel were stopped from entering Mandsaur, the epicenter of the agrarian unrest in Madhya Pradesh, while on their way to express solidarity with distressed farmers
Jyotiraditya Scindia
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Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia and Gujarat's quota stir spearhead Hardik Patel were stopped from entering Mandsaur, the epicenter of the agrarian unrest in Madhya Pradesh, while on their way to express solidarity with distressed farmers.
Hardik Patel were prevented from going to Mandsaur yesterday. PICS/PTI
Scindia, his party colleague Kantilal Bhuria, and a large number of supporters were detained by police at Nayagaon-Jaora toll booth in Ratlam while heading to neighbouring Mandsaur, where prohibitory orders are in force. Before their detention, the Congress leaders and their supporters staged a sit-in at the toll booth demanding that they be allowed to visit Mandsaur. "Why the police is preventing me from going to Mandsaur? This is Hitlershahi," Scindia said.
Earlier in the day, Hardik Patel was arrested from Nayagaon in Neemuch.
The Patidar Andolan leader, heading to Mandsaur to meet the kin of farmers killed in police firing, was accompanied by Janata Dal (U) leader Akhilesh Katiyar, who was also placed under arrest.
Patel was arrested to prevent "commission of cognisable offences", City Superintendent of Police Abhishek Diwan said. They were released on bail later and taken out of Madhya Pradesh in police vehicles. Lashing out at the authorities, Patel said, "I am not a terrorist. I have not come from Lahore. I am an Indian citizen and have the right to go anywhere in the country."