Ahead of PM Modi's visit, Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani, 400 Patidars detained

Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday, Jignesh Mevani, the face of the Gujarati dalit agitation, was on Friday detained by state police, after he arrived in Ahmedabad.

Mevani, who has been spearheading the agitation triggered by the Una flogging incident, was reportedly arrested as a preventive measure.

Fearing that he might create some problem at felicitation event organized for Modi near airport he was detained.

Hours before, in Delhi, Mevani had announced that a rail-roko agitation would be launched from October 1 in Gujarat, if the government did not comply with their demand for a 5-acre land to be alloted to every dalit family in the state.

Dalits had made this demand at the flag-hoisting ceremony in Una on August 15 at the end of a 10-day march against the alleged atrocities against the group.

Around 400 Patidars were also detained on Friday to prevent any type of problems.