New Delhi, Oct 13 (TIWN) Hitting out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Gujarat unit president of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Gopal Italia on Thursday said the saffron party dislikes the people of the Patidar community.

Earlier on Thursday, Delhi Police had detained Italia following which the AAP came down heavily on the BJP for the “selective targeting and subjugation of the Patidar community in Gujarat”.

Speaking here at the AAP headquarters, Italia — who was released a few hours after he was detained, said all these developments have been taking place ahead of the Assembly elections in Gujarat as the Patidar community has been openly expressing its support for the AAP.

Providing details on his detention, he said: “I came to know through the social media in the last few days that National Commission for Women (NCW) has issued a notice against me. However, I had no idea why it was issued… and I am yet to receive it. But since I respect women, I went the NCW office to provide an explanation. There, I was made to meet NCW chairman Rekha Sharma.”

He claimed that Sharma called him ill-behaved. “I was shocked to hear those words.”

“Out of respect, I did not say anything back to her. In fact, I was mistreated… I was also asked ‘ why there are so many people outside the Commission’s building?’ I was threatened that I would be arrested and put in jail,” he said.