Looking to connect to the powerful Patidar community, Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday took a dig at the State’s BJP government for alleged atrocities committed on Patel youth during the reservation agitations of the last two years.

At a public meeting in Dhrol, about 40 km from Jamnagar, on Day 2 of his three-day ‘Navsarjan Yatra’ in Saurashtra, the Congress Vice-President addressed Patidar youth, who have been demanding reservation under the OBC quota. Several youths from the community had lost their lives in police firing during the agitation.

“...while the BJP has unleashed bullets on you, that isn’t the way the Congress operates. Our way is of love and brotherhood,” said Rahul, who received a rousing reception from Patidar community.

The Congress leader travelled about 150 km on Tuesday, covering key Patidar pockets in the Saurashtra region, including the ceramics cluster in Morbi district. Congress insiders said the villagers and small businessmen told Rahul that the State government had neglected the development of the area.

To this, the Congress scion retorted, saying: “Development has gone crazy; we need to bring it back on track.” The statement comes on the back of a social media campaign by the Congress mocking the Gujarat development model.

On Wednesday, his last day in the region, the Congress Vice-President will visit Surendranagar district, which had witnessed flood fury this monsoon.

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