Gujarat: AAP MLA, party workers booked for holding protest march without permission

Bharuch, Dec 9 (PTI) Aam Aadmi Party MLA Chaitar Vasava and others were booked for allegedly holding a protest march without permission in Rajpardi village in Gujarat's Bharuch district, leading to traffic snarls, a police official said on Monday.

The protest march was held on December 3 and the case against Dediapada MLA Vasava and 12 others was registered on December 7, Rajpardi police station inspector HB Gohil said.

"The march was held from Rajpardi to Jhagadia town without permission. No arrest has been made in the case," Gohil said.

As per the FIR, AAP Jhagadia taluka president Sajan Vasava, who has also been booked, approached police on the night of December 2 seeking nod for the march.

Permission was denied by police and the sub divisional magistrate since arranging for police personnel in such a short time to manage the crowd was not possible, the FIR mentioned.

Despite denial of permission, the march was held and traffic came to a standstill for 15 minutes on four roads after AAP workers led by MLA Vasava gathered near a statue of Birsa Munda, police said.

"The foot march obstructed traffic on the state highway connecting Rajpardi with Jhagadia. Vasava and others were booked under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita on charges of wrongful restraint and creating danger or obstruction in public way," the official said.

In a statement, first time MLA Vasava claimed permission was sought well in advance from the police and SDM on November 30 for the march to highlight issues like illegal mining, land acquisition and discharge of polluted water.

"However, permission was denied without any valid reason. We did not harass any individual or government official during our peaceful foot march on December ," the AA MLA claimed. PTI COR PJT BNM