Cancelling Chopper Journey, Rahul Boards Local Train to Ghatkopar
Overlooking threats by Shiv Sena, AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi took a local train from suburban Andheri to Dadar in central Mumbai, dropping his plans to visit a slum in Ghatkopar by a helicopter, said media reports.
Reports said that Gandhi, an SPG protectee who was accompanied by the newly-appointed Indian Youth Congress president Rajeev Satav and party MP Jitendra Singh, got off at Dadar, a Shiv Sena fortress, and then took another train on way to Ghatkopal, an eastern suburb.
In protest against his ‘Mumbai for all’ remarks, Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray had issued a diktat to his supporters to greet Gandhi with black flags during his Mumbai visit.
Mumbai Youth Congress president Sunil Ahire said that Rahul was scheduled to board a chopper at Vile Parle and land in Vikhroli to avoid any incident, but changed his mind midway, said reports.
On a day-long visit to the city, Rahul was accompanied by his security personnel, reports said.
Reports also said that the city witnessed a curfew-like atmosphere with tight security in the Shiv Sena bastion.
Earlier, Rahul landed at the Santa Cruz Old Airport in Juhu at about 11.20am and drove to the Bhaidas Hall, barely a kilometre away, where he was scheduled to address 1,100 college students and youth.
Three Shiv Sainiks were taken into custody when they tried to get into the Bhaidas Hall in suburban Vile Parle without proper invite.
(Based on internet reports)
