New Delhi, Ahmedabad: The Congress is taking on Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi for the deaths caused by illicit liquor in the state, and on Monday joining protests against him was one of the party's most influential but media shy leaders, Ahmed Patel.
Not every day that we see Ahmad Patel, the quiet and reticent political secretary of Sonia Gandhi, on a dharna before national media. Patel joined Congress leaders from Gujarat outside Parliament with a demand that Narendra Modi's Gujarat government be held accountable for the hooch deaths and sacked.
"The liquor mafia has been protected by the government because of which so many people have died. We demand that such a government must go," said Congress leader Rajiv Shukla.
However, the BJP appeared to back the Gujarat Chief Minister.
"We are aware of the violence and protests that took place under the Congress rule in Gujarat. This is a political conspiracy. I don't think the Gujarat government needs to resign," said senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi.
In Gujarat too, Opposition leaders boycotted Assembly proceedings and sat on a dharna outside the Speaker's chamber. They were demanding a discussion on the hooch tragedy.
"It's a precedent that whenever such a tragic event happens, there is discussion in the House. Unfortunately when we demanded that, we were thrown out," said Gujarat Assembly Leader of Opposition Shaktisinh Gohil.
Pressure is mounting, but Modi has decided to keep his silence till the inquiry commission submits its report.