With political climate temperatures beginning to soar in Gujarat ahead of the ensuing Assembly elections later this year, Shankarsinh Vaghela, Leader of the Opposition in the Vidhan Sabha, on Tuesday, demanded a high-level probe into the alleged “ransom demands and threats” received by some Congress legislators from notorious gangster Ravi Pujari’s gang members.
Vaghela, a former BJP leader and ex-Chief Minister, told reporters here that four MLAs of Gujarat Congress, including national party spokesman Shaktisinh Gohil, have been threatened by the gangster to pay ransom of Rs. 10 crore each or face consequences. In the 182-member House, the Congress has 57 MLAs.
He said AICC General Secretary in-charge of Gujarat, Gurudas Kamat, too, had received the Pujari gang’s threat a few weeks ago in Mumbai and had promptly informed the police.
Vaghela also raised the issue, on Tuesday, in the ongoing Vidhan Sabha’s Budget Session. Speaker Ramanlal Vora allowed a discussion on it in the post-lunch meeting.
Interestingly, Vaghela raised the issue on a day Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived on a two-day visit to Gujarat—his 10th since May 2014 and seventh since September 2016. Vaghela, a former mentor of the PM, claimed that only those Congress MLAs, who are putting the BJP government on the mat on different issues, are receiving such threats and demands.
He said that telephonic calls were being made and routed from different countries, and a mobile phone number was being used sending text messages to the Congress MLAs. One such SMS said: “Pay me Rs.10 crore or you will be killed like Councilor Pragnesh Patel.”
Pragnesh Patel, based in Anand (Gujarat), had allegedly been shot at some time ago by the Pujari gang.