Jignesh Mevani detained at Jaipur airport

NEW DELHI: Dalit leader and Vadgam (Gujarat) MLA Jignesh Mevani was on Sunday detained at Jaipur International Airport, police said. The administration of Nagaur, where Mevani had a rally, had restricted his visit and the police stopped the Gujarat MLA at the airport to inform him about the order, they added.

Vadgam (Gujarat) MLA Jignesh Mevani detained at #Jaipur airport; said, 'I had to go to Nagaur to talk about Baba Saheb Ambedkar. I don’t know what made Vasundhra Raje government restrict me. They aren't even letting me roam in Jaipur. Police have no order, it's illegal' pic.twitter.com/uyEScW6pi0

— ANI (@ANI) April 15, 2018

After Mevani was stopped at the airport, the Gujarat MLA took to Twitter and explained that he was going there to talk about Indian constitution and Baba Saheb Ambedkar.

"Immediately after I landed at Jaipur airport, few cops made me sign a letter saying MLA Jignesh Mevani's entry is restricted in entire nagor district of Rajasthan. I was going there to talk about Indian constitution and Baba Saheb Ambedkar," Mevani tweeted.

"Now the DCP is saying you are not allowed to move around even in Jaipur and they are forcing me to fly back to Ahmedabad and also not allowing to hold even a press conference...this is shocking," he added.

In another tweet, Mevani said, "For the past two hours I am asking the on-duty DCP of Jaipur whether he has any order to restrict my movement he has no answer. He is saying 'upar se bola hai'..he took away local Dalit activist's mobile also. As per law, this is a case of legally confining me, if not kidnapping. Shame."

Addressing Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, the Dalit leader said, "If Bhagwat was going to Nagor district of Rajasthan to talk about Manusmriti, Raje would have allowed him. But since I was supposed to talk about the philosophy of Baba Saheb Ambedkar they are restricting my movements. Vasundhara ji, hamara bhi vada raha chunav me maza ayenga."

"A few months ago BJP MP Hegde shamelessly said that their party has come to power to change Constitution. No action has been taken. Today authorities have passed order restricting my entry to participate in any demonstration at Jaipur till 30th April for I was to talk about the constitution," he added.

The police said Mevani was restricted from moving around in Jaipur because of the prohibitory order under section 144 of the CrPC which was in effect in the district after the violence during the 'Bharat bandh' on March 2.

"We are providing him Nagaur district administration's order and (telling him about the) imposition of section 144 in Jaipur after which he is free to travel anywhere," DCP Jaipur East Kunwar Rashtradeep said.

"He was neither detained nor arrested by the police," said Rashtradeep. 

(With inputs from agencies)