Minister faces community ire for defending Vaghani

Rajkot: State minister Jasa Barad was forced to leave a press conference in Bhavnagar after members of Karadia Rajput community, who have pulled out swords against state BJP president Jitu Vaghani for his "vindictive" actions against Budhel village sarpanch Dansing Mori.

Barad had to face the wrath of the community members when he defended Vaghani and said that some community (Karadia Rajput) leaders were misguiding people. Around 70-80 community members who had managed to get inside the press conference venue created a huge uproar and started shouting slogans against Vaghani.

They did not allow Barad to speak and he had to ultimately leave the conference, which was held in a hotel. Outside the hotel too, the Karadia Rajput members tried to gherao his car before police cleared the way for Barad, who is the junior state minister for water supplies and president of the Akhil Gujarat Karadia Rajput Samaj.

Some community members were also seen arguing with the policemen and demanding that they only wanted their voices to be heard.

The Karadia Rajput community is up in arms against Vaghani whom they accuse of filing false and frivolous cases against Mori. They are demanding that all cases lodged against the sarpanch be withdrawn and allege that police acted under pressure from Vaghani, who is MLA from Bhavnagar (west) seat.

The community has called for a statewide rally in Bavla near Ahmedabad on November 5 to protest against Vaghani.