All India Congress Committee (AICC) vice-president Rahul Gandhi on his visit to Mota Samadhiala village announced an aid of Rs 5 lakh for the Dalit youths who became victim to atrocities for allegedly skinning dead cows.
Gandhi landed in Diu airport in the morning and reached Mota Samadhiala village situated on the banks of River Rupen around 12 noon to meet Balu Sarvaiya and his family. He spent nearly 35 minutes at the victim's house and assured them all help.
As Rahul's convoy entered the village, hundreds of Dalits gathered shouting slogans of 'Jay Bhim' and the Gandhi scion too responded them by raising hands. He talked to 20-year-old Jitu Sarvaiya, the only educated person (studying engineering) in the victims' family.
When the Congress VP asked how they are still facing discrimination in the society being Dalits, Jitu said their condition has not been improving for decades and due to their economic situation, they had to earn their living by removing carcasses of dead animals. He, however, said that after his uncles and cousins were beaten brutally, the family had decided to quit and instead earn bread from working in farms.
Gandhi shared his personal mobile number with Jitu and told him to call him whenever his family wants assistance.
later, he left for Rajkot where he met four injured Dalits at the civil hospital. The AICC VP also addressed a Press conference there.
Meanwhile, angry over the assault of their community members near Una on July 11 by self-styled cow protestors, large number of Dalits took to the streets demanding stern action against the guilty. Their protest entered Day 3 on Thursday.
In some places, protests became violent and incidents of setting three ST buses ablaze were reported from north Gujarat town Kadi. A mob of Dalit community also blocked Mehsana-Kadi Highway. Incidents of stone-pelting have also been reported from various places. The stirs took toll on the traffic situation near limbdi as agitators created a ruckus on the highway connecting Saurashtra to central and South Gujarat. As a result, ST bus authorities had to suspend services between Rajkot and Ahmedabad.
Saurashtra region remained the epicentre of protest as protests hit Talala town in Gir Somnath district, Kutiyana in Porbandar and Amreli district of Saurashtra region. Police even resorted to shell teargas in Keshod town of Junagadh district to quell the protesting mob.
Surendranagar Collector announced imposition of Section 144 prohibiting a gathering of more than four people in the area to maintain law and order situation.
Dholka town of Ahmedabad district saw mob getting involved in stone-pelting followed by police resorting to teargas to disperse the crowd. The situation worsened as police allegedly entered houses of the protestors, beat them and detained them. As many as 50 men were detained at a police station which was later gheraoed by women.
Women used kitchen utensils to seek immediate release of the detained protestors. In Surat, a group of protestors flooded the railway track at Udhna junction disrupting train services till police intervened.