The shoe landed in front of a dais in Ahmedabad, moments after Singh started to speak about the government’s achievements in the last five years of power.
The man, identified as Hitesh Chauhan, a 21-year-old computer engineering student, was taken away by police, and detained for questioning, Abhay Chudasma, a senior police officer, said. ‘He was shouting that politicians were all liars, when he was stopped by supporters, resulting in the incident,’ Chudasma said. ‘We are questioning him and will release him after a while.’
The incident was the latest episode of shoe-throwing as a mark of protest against political leaders. An earlier incident involved former US president George W. Bush.
In India, angry people have thrown shoes and slippers at various politicians contesting in the April/May general election.
Fearful of such attacks by disgruntled voters, leaders have asked for more security and are erecting metal nets at rallies.
This month, a Sikh journalist hurled a shoe at India’s home minister during a news conference in New Delhi after getting angry with the minister’s reply to a question about the 1984 riots.
A few days later, another man threw a slipper at Lal Krishna Advani, the prime ministerial candidate of the Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, the main opposition party.
While criticising the incidents, Indian leaders have not taken any legal action against the offenders.—Reuters
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