Gujarat anti-migrant violence: ‘We might have made a mistake,’ ‘distressed’ Alpesh Thakor says 

Alpesh Thakor (centre) during his one-day fast.

Under fire for his alleged involvement in violence against migrants, Congress MLA and leader of Gujarat Khatriya Thakor Sena Alpesh Thakor, who claims to represent the Thakor community in the state, observed a daylong symbolic “sadbhavna” (communal harmony) fast, on Thursday, at his residence, in Ahmedabad.

Thakor said the reason behind his fasting was that he was “distressed” because his and party members’ names appeared in the context of violence against migrants.

Along with Thakor, some senior Congress leaders, including the state party chief, Amit Chavda, and the leader of opposition, Paresh Dhirajlal Dhanani, were also present in the city’s Ranip area to address their supporters.

Thakor said, “We (Thakors) may have committed a mistake. We are unhappy, but it is not our culture to harass or mistreat poor. We have been portrayed as looters. We have never done it. Then, why are we being defamed so much?” Thakor further said, “We were demanding justice for a 14-month-old … she was raped. But we have been labelled as ‘prantvadi’ (regionalist) … We are Gujaratis and it is our culture to sacrifice ourselves for the pride of Gujarat.”

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