Navsari: Chikhli police has arrested one Mukesh Ramubhai Patel for holding illegal assembly of Rudhigat gramsabha at Navanagar in Ranveri Kalla village.

Development commissioner, Gandhinagar has through a letter dated 29th of January 2019 termed Rudhigat gramsabha illegal. Local administration and police had explained this to villagers and informed them that holding Rudhigat gramsabha would be illegal and attract legal actions.

However, defying this order, Rudhigat gramsabha was held at Nava nagar in Ranveri Kalla by Dharmesh, Narendra, Mukesh, Nikul, Manisha, Nitin, Ishwar and Vivek on 9 February.

Rudhigat gramsabha had passed resolution that it has power to make a law and such law would be abiding for everyone in the village. One of the resolutions passed was that any non-tribal would need permission of Rudhigat gramsabha to operate shop or do a job in the village. Rudhigat gramsabha’s permission shall be required to start any new project or commercial activity. With this provoking slogans such as ‘hum se jo takrayenga , mitti mein mil jayenga’ and ‘ek j chale, Adiwasi chale’ were chanted violating the order of district magistrate.

Residents of Ranveri kalla village had given application in this regard to Chikhli police station in Navsari taluka following which 8 persons were booked under IPC section 153-C1,C, 114 and GP act 135(1)

It’s worth noting that after some locals made representation before Chikhli police regarding illegal assembly of Rudhigat gramsabha, their irrigation pipes were cut late in the night by pro-Rudhigat gramsabha tribals. Those who suffered total Rs. 2 lakh loss due to damaged pipelines, foot valve and machinery were Ashoksinh Parmar, Jayendrasinh Parmar, Vijaysinh, Dhirajsinh, Maheshshin, Virendrasinh, Hemantsinh, Maheshshin, Anilsinh, Amratsinh, Kanaksinh, Animeshsinh, Mukeshsing, Bhupatsinh, Chandrasinh and Bharatsinh Parmar.

Last Sunday, later in the evening, Chikhli police picked up Mukesh Patel, one of the accused named in FIR and brought him to police station. Soon after this, Vansda constituency MLA Anant Patel(Congress) rushed to police station with a mob of tribals and took police station in ban for three hours. District police superintendent and other police officials arrived a police station and held talks with MLA who was demanding transfer of local police inspector.

DeshGujarat