BJP Chief Amit Shah cancels 'padyatra' in Meerut over murder of guthka merchant's son

Meerut: BJP National President Amit Shah today who was to embark on a 'padyatra' in Meerut in the crucial region of western Uttar Pradesh today cancelled the same keeping in mind the sentiments of the mother of 'Abhishek', son of a gutka distributor who was killed by a gang of robbers on Thursday night. Sushil Verma, distributor of a famous gutka brand, was finalizing the account of day's sale along with his son Abhishek at his office on Sharda road on Thursday night. His agent Rohit also came there to deposit some money from the sale. Three men allegedly followed him and entered the office while their two aides kept guard outside the office. They looted cash worth Rs. 3 lakh and jewellery after taking them on gun point and downed the shutter before fleeing. The trapped traders somehow lifted the shutters and chased criminals and caught one of them. One of the fleeing men opened fire and the bullet hit 21 year old Abhishek on his chest and Verma also sustained injury on his hand while the other two shopkeepres, Umesh and Akhil, who dared to chase the criminals also received bullet injuries. The injured were taken to a hospital where doctors declared Abhishek dead. Amit Shah's speech: The Bhartiya Janata Party had fared well in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls due to polarisation of voters. Aiming to consolidate BJP votes, party national president Amit Shah was to go on a nearly two-hour long foot march in Meerut today, which will be followed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally on Saturday. However, ahead of the announcement of the cancellation of the foot march, the party president took a jibe at both the Congress and the Samajwadi Party for the worsening crime rates in the state of Uttar Pradesh and said that the Bhartiya Janata Party can only progress under the supervision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Calling both Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav as 'Shahjahan', Amit Shah on behalf of BJP, promised to give a 'gunda' free Uttar Pradesh. The Bhartiya Janata Party has come forth for the UP elections with an agenda for progress. The BJP cheif said, "In our election manifesto, we have proposed a complete cancellation of loan for all the small and marginal farmers." The party president also went on to add that the new loan that would be granted to all small and marginal farmers, will be charged with zero interest. "If the BJP comes to power, then within 120 days of the government's formation, the government will come forward to help the sugarcane farmers." Anti-Romeo squads will be formed in every college to increase safety for women. Shah's maiden 'padyatra' (foot march) in the region, which goes to the polls in the first phase of Uttar Pradesh assembly elections on February 11, comes as the party looks to do well in the communally sensitive western UP and the neighbouring places, whose 140 assembly seats face polls on February 11 and 15. BJP is looking at the the region as a stronghold. Shah's yatra was to galvanise party cadre and help in making a wave in favour of BJP in west UP districts of Shamli, Muzaffarnagar, Baghpat, Meerut, Ghaziabad, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Hapur, Bulandshahr, Aligarh, Mathura, Hathras, Agra, Firozabad, Etah and Kasganj that are going to poll in the first phase. It is locked in a keen triangular fight in the state involving SP-Congress combine and BSP. While the party has maintained that its main rival is SP-Congress alliance, BSP has been traditionally strong in this region where Muslims are also present in large numbers. The seven-phase polls will be held on February 11, 15, 19, 23, 27, March 4 and 8. The results will come out on March 11.