Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani's show of strength in Delhi

New Delhi: Dalit leader and Gujarat MLA Jignesh Mevani who was firm on holding a rally in the capital’s iconic Jantar Mantar despite Police not granting permission had to limit himself to Parliament Street and wasn't allowed to move further. Heavy security had been deployed ahead of the 'Yuva Hunkar Rally'. The rally was being held against central government's inability to create employment and increasing rightwing violence. The rally seeks to raise the demand for the release of Dalit outfit Bhim Army's founder Chandrashekhar Azad and emphasise on issues like educational rights, employment, livelihood and gender justice. Azad, 30, was arrested in June last year from Himachal Pradesh as he was the main accused in the Thakur-Dalit clash in Uttar Pradesh's Saharanpur district. Speaking to ABP News at around 12 pm from his car at Connaught Place, Mevani said, “this is unfortunate if an elected representative can’t hold a rally peacefully. We want to talk about social justice and issues of the youth, especially about unemployment.” (WATCH BELOW) Delhi Commissioner of Police (DCP) on Monday had tweeted that the authorities had advised the organisers to shift the rally to an alternate site. In October last year, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) had directed the Delhi government to stop immediately all protests and assembly of people at the Jantar Mantar area due to immense noise pollution. According to news agency PTI , a large section of students from universities and colleges in Delhi, women's groups, teachers' associations and activists associated with Mevani from across the country are expected to attend the rally. After his “provocative speech” allegedly led to clashes in Bhima Koregan village near Pune recently, the Vadgam MLA said the Centre is targeting an “established Dalit leader” only to send out a message to lakhs of Dalits in the nation.