Vadodara: 50 two-wheelers held after Savli MLA’s ‘licence’ speech

VADODARA: Savli police’s action penalizing around 50 two-wheeler riders on Tuesday, days after heavyweight Savli BJP MLA Ketan Inamdar’s comments, is being widely perceived as cops’ knee-jerk reaction to Inamdar’s recent address.
The Vadodara district police have, however, denied the speech being the reason for the action. Inamdar, who had said that the youths of his constituency don’t have to show licence, had even gone to the police station after the two-wheelers were detained. He wanted to ensure paperwork was completed promptly and the motorcycles were returned to the owners.
Inamdar had claimed in his speech that youths could ride freely without showing their licences not only in Savli, but also Desar or Vadodara rural areas and other remote parts of the state as well if they said that they revealed they were from Inamdar’s Savli constituency.
The MLA even asked the youths if this was true and a chorus replied in affirmative.
On Tuesday, the Savli police organized a drive and detained several motorcycles for different violations.
Vadodara district superintendent of police Rohan Anand, however, said that the action was not related to Inamdar’s speech. “I was sent the video of the speech by someone only after the drive was over,” he said. Anand added that vehicle checking drives were being organised in the district in wake of the increased VIP movement in the district as well as neighbouring areas. Also, he said, several incidents of vehicle thefts were being reported in the district due to which such drives were being held.
Inamdar could not be reached for a comment despite repeated attempts.