Rahul's car pelted with stones in Gujarat, Police say he refused bulletproof vehicle

DHANERA (GUJARAT): Stones were pelted at Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi's vehicle on Friday during his visit to flood-affected Banaskantha district of North Gujarat. Blaming BJP for the attack, Congress said it was an organised attack by its 'goons'. "BJP goons attack Cong VP Rahulji's car in Lal Chowk, Dhanera, Banaskanta, Gujarat. Disgusting and disgraceful," Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said in a tweet. He said with 218 deaths in Gujarat, 61 in Bansakanta alone, PM Modi only does an aerial visit while CM takes 5 days to visit. Surjewala said BJP only attacks the Opposition. "Windowpanes of Congress vice president's car broken in an organized attack by goons, security staff injured. BJP must know truth can't be silenced. Violence and physical attack have become BJP's culture. Congress and Rahulji get more determined to raise people's voice after every attack," he said.

Windowpanes of Cong VP's car broken in an organized attack by goons,security staff injured. BJP must know truth can't be silenced. 3/3 pic.twitter.com/Sswntiowf8

— Randeep S Surjewala (@rssurjewala) August 4, 2017

Banaskantha Superintendent of Police Neeraj Badgujar said a man threw stones at Gandhi's car, breaking its rear glass when he on his way from Lal Chowk to the helipad in Dhanera. Gandhi escaped unhurt, he added. "We have detained the person who threw stones on the vehicle of Rahul Gandhi," Badgujar said. Badgujar said Rahul refused a bullet-proof car for travelling and opted for a private vehicle. Earlier, Rahul was heckled by protesters at an event. He left the stage in a huff after making a brief speech in Lal Chowk area of the town in Banaskantha district after protesters showed black flags to him. Some of the people gathered at the spot also raised slogans hailing Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Notably, the Congress MLA from the area is in Bengaluru as part of the party legislators who have been flown to the southern city apparently to avoid being "poached" by the BJP ahead of the August 8 Rajya Sabha polls. Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi accused the BJP "goons" of carrying out the "dastardly" attack. He said that several cars in the convoy were damaged, their window panes smashed and an SPG man suffered minor injury. "All this because, the Congress Vice President went to a flood affected area," he said.

Rahulji was attacked with cement bricks by BJP goons, SPG with him suffered minor injuries. It should be condemned unequivocally: AM Singhvi pic.twitter.com/d6IQo9G5L0 — ABP News (@abpnewstv) August 4, 2017

Are we reaching a space in our democracy where political opponents are not going to be allowed to practice democratic politics?: AM Singhvi — ABP News (@abpnewstv) August 4, 2017

(With PYI inputs)