Supporters

Gandhi Stadium

Prime Minister Modi

public rally

Indirain Solapur has a capacity of 60,000, and it was full on Thursday as supporters thronged the venue for’sThis despite many people being turned away from the venue if they had on any form of clothing or item in black – they were asked to change if they wanted to attend the event. Women in burqas were asked to remove it if they wanted to be seated in the front rows. Those who did not acquiesce were sent to the back.Parveen Shaikh had to fight with security personnel to retain her seat and her burqa. She told Mirror, “They have no problem with our burqa when they come to ask for our votes. Now suddenly it is being seen as a threat.”“Why are we being targeted for what we are wearing?” asked Shainaz Havaldar, another supporter who refused to remove her burqa.Interestingly, Sunita Hibbare, an engineer with the Solapur municipal corporation who is also in-charge of two of the six projects launched by Modi ahead of the public rally, was asked to change out of the black dress she chose to wear for the function, despite holding a VIP pass.“I stay nearby so I will go home and change. I am told I can’t even wear a black dupatta,” she told Mirror. If women at least made it inside, men were turned away outright.Prashant Halve, who will soon join the Army was eager to listen to Modi but was denied entry as he was wearing a black jacket. “Black represents protest according to the police,” he said.When contacted, Mahadev Tambade, Solapur Commissioner of Police, told Mirror, “There were reports of onions, carrots to be thrown at him or black flags to be shown to him so for precaution we barred black at the venue.” He accepted that there were no such written orders.National Students’ Union of India (student wing of the Congress) and Maharashtra Pradesh Youth Congress workers who showed black flags to Modi’s convoy were beaten up by the Solapur police before being detained. Avideo of the thrashing went viral on social media. “We have powers to maintain law and order situation,” explained Tambade.