At least 10 people, including policemen and state road transport staff, were injured and over a dozen vehicles were set ablaze by the mob in the late night riot. They resorted to violence after the civic authorities failed to concede to their demand of not renaming the recently renovated building.

The first incident of violence, when the mob set ablaze a bus, was reported from the New Thorala area on the 180 Feet Road, where the predominant Dalit locality, Ambedkar Nagar, is located. A bus running between Ahmedabad and Khambhalia was stopped at Parevadi Chowk and set on fire. Soon, a mob was out on the streets in several areas, including Jilla Garden, Chunarwada, Bhavnagar Road, Ganjiwad and Kuwadawa Road.

According to reports, seven buses of the Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation (GSRTC), two PGVCL utility jeeps, and the official car of RMC Deputy Mayor Janak Kotak were also set ablaze.

The police said the mob hurled stones on their teams, injuring at least 10 personnel, including top officers of the Crime Branch. A driver and a conductor of a bus were also injured. On Wednesday, parts of the city, including New Thorola, Chunarwad, 180 Feet Road, remained under heavy security. Three platoons of the State Reserve Police were pressed into service to maintain peace.

Earlier, Dalits had taken out rallies twice to protest against the BJP-ruled RMC’s decision to rename the building after Shukla, who died last month.

Under the leadership of suspended BJP member and former Rajkot Rural MLA Siddharth Parmar, they had submitted a memorandum in this regard to the corporation and the Rajkot Police Commissioner.

But the party went ahead with the resolution. The BJP passed it during a general board meeting held on Tuesday evening under the leadership of Mayor Dhansukh Bhanderi, even as Congress members staged a walkout.

“It’s an insult to Babasaheb. They want to remove his name for a local BJP leader,” said Parmar. While Bhanderi refused to comment on the issue, BJP city president Nitin Bhardwaj said the main building has not been renamed, and it is only the central zone office that has been named as Chiman Shukla Building.

Courtesy By : Express India