Tejasvi Surya, Others Taken Into Police Custody on Way to Karauli for Nyay Yatra

A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) delegation, led by party MP Tejasvi Surya, on Wednesday, 13 April, protested against Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot after not being allowed to visit Karauli.

(Photo Courtesy: Twitter/BJYM)

A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) delegation, led by party MP Tejasvi Surya, was briefly taken into police custody in Rajasthan on Wednesday, 13 April, after the group protested against Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on being stopped from visiting the violence-hit Karauli district.

Surya, who was accompanied by BJP Rajasthan President Satish Poonia and several supporters while travelling to Karauli, was stopped by the Rajasthan Police at the Dausa border. After clashes between the police and the BJP workers staging protests at the border, Surya, Poonia, and others were briefly taken into custody by the police and then dispersed.

"We have taken a vow either to go to Karauli or go to jail," Surya had said earlier in the day.

"Dear Mr. Gehlot, BJYM is Bharat Mata’s own Sena. You or your entire Sonia Sena cannot stop us from questioning your dictatorship & hinduphobia. Period! (sic)," the BJP's youth wing had said in a tweet.

This comes over a week after communal clashes erupted in Karauli after a bike rally organised to celebrate Hindu new year was allegedly met with stone pelting, leading to a confrontation between two groups.

BJYM's 'Nyay Yatra' to Karauli

The Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) had announced that it would conduct a 'nyay yatra (justice march)' to protest against the violence. Surya had demanded the early arrest of the accused, compensation to the victims, and has asserted that innocents should not be convicted in the case.

Earlier during the day, Surya had said in a tweet, "Chalo Karauli!"

"Karauli riots indicate clear lawlessness in Rajasthan The deliberate attempt to disturb Ram Navami shobha yatra and the unwillingness of Congress government to act against the aggressors is deplorable, BJYM will continue to protest until culprits are brought to justice," Tejasvi Surya had said in a tweet.

Surya had said earlier on Wednesday that he had received information about heavy police deployment in Dausa in order to prevent the BJYM's protest. "We dare Ashok Gehlot to stop BJYM!" Surya had stated.

Meanwhile, Congress MLA from Karauli and Panchayati Raj Minister Ramesh Meena said, "The BJP is trying to find its political ground in eastern Rajasthan through the Karauli incident. But the plans of the BJP will not be successful. The BJP is not concerned with the issues of the public. Action is being taken against those who are guilty of the Karauli incident. The committee investigation of the lapse at the administrative level in the matter is also coming to the fore."