Ahmedabad: Gujarat Congress President Amit Chavda on Saturday accused sections of the police and administration of acting under political pressure and functioning as “BJP workers” rather than serving people impartially. Addressing a press conference at Rajiv Gandhi Bhavan of the Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee, Chavda alleged that some officers had become “pawns of the government” and were being used to influence political processes.

He said that while Gujarat has many honest and dedicated police officers, some officials were allegedly misusing their powers to intimidate opposition leaders and workers. Referring to recent election-related developments, Chavda claimed there had been several attempts across Gujarat to pressure candidates into withdrawing nominations, influence voting and harass Congress leaders and workers through police and administrative action.

He alleged that in places including Surat, Dahod, Dabhoi and Vadodara, false cases were filed against Congress candidates to affect the election process. Referring specifically to Vadodara, Chavda said an FIR was lodged against Congress corporator Ashish Joshi just two days before polling without evidence to create pressure.

Speaking about a liquor seizure case in the Sankheda area of Chhota Udepur district, Chavda alleged that Ashish Joshi was falsely implicated under political pressure. He questioned why police had not released evidence in the matter despite it being common practice in such cases. He also claimed that despite Joshi expressing readiness for any probe, including a narco test, he was arrested and sent to Central Jail under legal provisions, while the original accused secured bail.

Chavda further questioned the absence of action in an alleged liquor transportation case in Banaskantha despite videos purportedly showing movement of large quantities of liquor. He also termed as serious an incident in Dwarka involving Congress members from Kodinar taluka panchayat, alleging that they were harassed and falsely implicated. He additionally claimed that elected Congress members in Bavla were being pressured to join the BJP through threats of legal action and detention under PASA.

Issuing a warning to the state administration, Chavda said the Chief Minister, Home Minister, Home Secretary and Director General of Police should remember that the police and administration exist to protect citizens and not serve political interests. He alleged that officers involved in corruption and illegal activities would face scrutiny into their assets and financial transactions.

He announced that Congress would pursue the issue legally, from the High Court to the Supreme Court, and would take action against individuals allegedly responsible for creating false evidence. He also announced a march in Gandhinagar, bringing together citizens who claim to have suffered due to police and administrative excesses. According to him, the party would also present these concerns before the Governor.

“Democracy and rule of law prevail in Gujarat. Any officer acting with bias and beyond the law will eventually have to answer to the people,” Chavda said, adding that it was now time to tell such officers to “stop.”

At the same press conference, advocate Hitesh Gupta described the Sankheda liquor case as politically motivated and baseless. He claimed that the main accused, Pramod Pandey, had informed the court that the liquor was ordered for a personal event and that he did not know Ashish Joshi.

Gupta said Joshi had given written consent for a narco test to prove his innocence, but police had allegedly not acted on it. He added that a petition had been filed before the Gujarat High Court seeking quashing of the FIR.

He also raised questions over the conduct of officers at Sankheda Police Station, alleging a lack of impartiality and describing the investigation process as suspicious. Gupta claimed that legal mechanisms were being misused under political pressure to harass elected Congress representatives and said the party would respond through constitutional and legal means.

The press conference was also attended by Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee Vice President Bimal Shah, Vadodara City Congress President Ritwik Joshi and Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee spokesperson Hemang Rawal.