Bhim Army chief detained at Jodhpur airport, insistent on meeting killed Dalit boy's family
Jodhpur, Aug 17: Bhim Army chief Chandra Shekhar Aazad was detained at the Jodhpur airport for over three hours Wednesday while on his way to Jalore to meet the family of a Dalit boy who died allegedly after being beaten up by his schoolteacher.
Police said he was allowed to leave the airport at around 7.30 pm after he assured them he would not go to Jalore, around 150 km from the airport.
However, as he came out of the airport, Aazad told reporters, "I will not return without meeting."
Indra Meghwal, a student of a private school in Surana village of Rajasthan's Jalore district, was beaten up by his teacher on July 20 for allegedly touching a drinking water pot. The boy succumbed to his injuries at a hospital in Ahmedabad on August 13.
Aazad came from Delhi in a flight, accompanied by another person. The Dalit leader was detained the airport.
"After talks, he assured that he will not be going to Jalore following which he was allowed to leave by road," Deputy Commissioner of Police Amrita Duhan said.
Another police official said he was adamant to meet the family in Jalore but he was not allowed because his visit could have created a law and order issue there.
"He was eventually convinced not to visit Jalore. He left the airport by road," the officer said.
He, however, did not share where Aazad went from the airport. "It is his wish wherever he wants to go, but he is not going to Jalore."
but when reporter asked him about his plan, Aazad said, "I want to go to meet the family. I want to go alone. But (Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok) Gehlot should tell why I am not being allowed to go there. When the government can go there, the opposition can go there then why cannot his brother go there?"
"I will not return without meeting."
Meanwhile, a Bhim Sena leader Satpal Tanwar met the family in Jalore. He consoled the family and took details about the incident from the nine-year-old's father and other kin.
Additional police force has been deployed in the village in view of the visit of Bhim Army leaders.
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Rahul Gandhi joins Haryana Congress leader's 'Sadbhav Yatra' in Gurugram
Gurugram (PTI): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday joined the 'Sadbhav Yatra' of Haryana Congress leader Brijendra Singh here.
Gandhi, who is the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, reached Gurugram in the evening and joined the yatra. He also walked some distance with Brijendra, state Congress chief Rao Narender Singh and other leaders.
Huge crowds had turned up for the occasion.
Later, Gandhi proceeded to the venue where he addressed a public gathering.
Leader of Opposition in Haryana Bhupinder Singh Hooda and other Congress leaders, including Randeep Singh Surjewala, B K Hariprasad, state Congress chief Rao Narender Singh, were also present.
Brijendra Singh had on Thursday said it is a matter of joy for them that Gandhi was joining the 'Sadbhav Yatra' in Gurugram-Badshahpur, "thereby strengthening the Indian National Congress' campaign for brotherhood and harmony".
The 'Sadbhav Yatra' began from Danoda village at Narwana in Jind on October 5, 2025, and has covered 85 of the 90 assembly segments in the state.
The foot march was started by Brijendra Singh, son of Congress veteran Birender Singh, to highlight several national and regional issues.
State Congress chief Rao Narender Singh had asked all party leaders to take part in Friday's event.
Days before his yatra began in October, Brijendra Singh, who narrowly lost the 2024 assembly polls from Jind's Uchana Kalan, accused the ruling BJP of playing "divisive politics" and said that "sadbhav" (harmony) has come under stress in the last decade.
Brijendra Singh was a sitting MP from Hisar for the BJP when he resigned ahead of the 2024 general election and switched over to the Congress. He also alleged that the saffron party creates a wedge in society to achieve its political purpose.
The 'padyatra' has so far covered 85 assembly constituencies in Haryana, traversing more than 2,700 kilometres.
Addressing the public gathering, Brijendra Singh said the yatra is inspired by Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra, where he took the party's vision and values directly to the people of the country.
Singh said the yatra has highlighted issues like "Vote Chori" (vote theft), unemployment, poor law and order situation, agrarian distress, and issues related to government employees, labourers and traders.
"Sadbhav (harmony) and bhaichara (brotherhood), which the BJP is attempting to weaken, are the messages of this yatra," he said, adding that its slogan is "Congress ka haath bhaichara ka saath".
"This yatra is a natural extension of the Bharat Jodo Yatra," Brijendra Singh said.
