A priest belonging to Swaminarayan sect was allegedly attacked by unknown assailants in Gujarat's Visavdar tehsil of Junagadh on Thursday night while he was on his way to address an election meeting of the BJP. The incident took place just two days before the first phase of assembly polls in the state.
A police official said, "Swami Bhaktiprasad was on his way in a car to address a rally organised by the BJP candidate from Visavadar, Kirit Patel, when he was attacked by two persons."
The official added, "The duo got down from a four-wheeler, stopped the monk's vehicle and beat him up with iron rods."
BhaktiPrasad was quoted by Times Now as saying that he was assaulted because he was propagating Hindutva and nationalism in his public campaigns. "I was going to Vishavadar, when we moved a bit a car overtook us and stood. They started hitting on our vehicles. They broke the glasses of our car and abused me."
As local people gathered, hearing the noise, the assailants fled the spot abandoning their vehicle. The police have lodged an FIR.
BhaktiPrasad blamed Congress for the attack. Congress spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi rubbished the allegation and condemned the incident.
This is the first instance of violence reported ahead of the first phase of Gujarat Assembly Elections where in the voting will be held on Saturday. BJP has been in power in Gujarat for over 4 terms now and the opposition Congress has not missed a single forum where they could hit back at the saffron party.
Media reports said Bhakti Prasad is the head of one of the two sects in the Swaminarayan temple and his sect has been supporting the BJP in Gujarat for a longtime now.
