Padmaavat row: Buses suspended in northern Gujarat after violence
The Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation (GSRTC) suspended on Sunday its bus services in the northern part of the state, following violent protests by Rajput community members against the release of the film Padmaavat, an official said.
Bus services were suspended in Mehsana, Patan, Gandhinagar, Sabarkantha and Banaskantha districts till the situation improves, he said.
There are two separate routes for north Gujarat — one from Gandhinagar to Himmatnagar in Sabarkantha, and another passes from Mehsana and stretches till Banaskantha district via Patan.
According to GSRTC secretary K D Desai, all the buses plying between Ahmedabad and the northern region were cancelled since Saturday night amid a fear of miscreants making these vehicles soft targets.
“Owing to the attacks on the state buses in some parts of north Gujarat yesterday (Saturday), we have temporarily suspended our operations for Gandhinagar, Himmatnagar, Mehsana and Banaskantha...” Desai said.
Desai added that though they tried to resume the service in Gandhinagar on Sunday morning, some people targeted a bus at a village in the district.
“Thus, we have decided to halt the operations. We are in con- stant touch with police and will resume the service as soon as the situation becomes normal,” he added.
Desai said the decision was taken while keeping in mind the safety of passengers.
Following the GSRTC’s decision, several passengers were stranded at the state transport depots in the city, as they learnt about the cancellation of routes for north Gujarat upon their arrival.
On Saturday night, agitators belonging to the Rajput community allegedly set ablaze three buses in different parts of Mehsana. They also damaged the window panes of at least six buses in the region, the district’s police control room said.
The protesters had also tried to block roads by burning tyres in some parts of Banaskantha, Mehsana, Surendranagar and Bhuj in protest against the film, set to release on January 25.
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