Arvind Kejriwal likely to visit Gujarat next week

AAP supremo and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, with an eye on the forthcoming Gujarat elections, is expected to visit that state later this week to meet protesting dalits agitated by the attack on their community members by the “cow vigilante” group Gau Rakshak Dal.

Sources said Mr Kejriwal is likely to visit Una town in Gujarat’s Gir Somnath district to meet the dalits, who were beaten up by the cow vigilantes for allegedly killing a cow. Mr Kejriwal on Tuesday retweeted a post saying that he would be meeting the victims and their families on July 22. “Details of his visit will be decided tomorrow,” sources close to Mr Kejriwal said.

Seven young dalit men attempted suicide in Gujarat and buses were set on fire on Monday in a wave of protests against the thrashing of four dalit men last week over allegations that they had killed a cow in Una, approximately 360 km from Ahmedabad.

Mr Kejriwal had already made clear that his party intends to contest the Gujarat Assembly elections. In a television chat on Monday, Mr Kejriwal had said, “There is a culture of oppression in Gujarat and the people have decided to teach them a lesson.”