Vijay Rupani accuses Congress of being behind violence during anti-CAA protest in Ahmedabad’s Shah-E-Alam locality

Ahmedabad: Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani on Saturday blamed the Congress for the violence in Muslim-dominated Shah-E-Alam locality in Ahmedabad during a protest against the new citizenship law two days ago.

At least 59 persons have been arrested for Thursday’s violence which left over two dozen policemen injured, the state government said. “The government has announced that strong action will be taken against those who are behind the violence, based on CCTV footage and other evidence,” Rupani told reporters.

“Congress is spreading violence. Which political party does the arrested corporator belong to? He is from Congress. There is no doubt that Congress is behind this,” he said. Local Congress corporator Shehzad Khan Pathan has been arrested in connection with the violence.

Follow LIVE updates on protests against Citizenship Amendment Act

Besides Pathan, 58 others were arrested after being identified from CCTV footage, home minister Pradipsinh Jadeja said. All those who were seen attacking the police in CCTV footage would be arrested, he said.

A protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and proposed National Register of Citizens turned violent in the Shah-E-Alam area on Thursday as the mob hurled stones at policemen.