Dalit leader and MLA from Gujarat Jignesh Mevani on Saturday said the BJP would curb all basic rights of democracy if it is voted back to power.

Mevani was here to take part in the National Youth Conclave organised by Axom Nagarik Manch, a civil society group.

“This anti-constitutional force…if they come back to power in 2019, you can note it down, the Axom Nagarik Manch will not even plan to conduct such conclaves. Nothing less than that… This is going to happen. I have witnessed this fascist attitude in Gujarat for 15 years… After the 2019 polls, the people who fight for the rights of Dalits, minorities and for other voiceless, will either be thrashed or put behind the bars with fake cases or will be killed like Gauri Lankesh,” Mevani told a jam-packed auditorium at the ITA Cultural Centre, Machkhowa, here.

He alleged that the “fascist RSS-BJP” can go to any extent.

“Gauri Lankesh’s chargesheet has revealed that one branch of the Sangh Parivar had prepared a list of 43 intellectuals to eliminate. This is danger. We will be shot at at our door-steps,” Mevani said.

On the #MainBhiChowkidar campaign, Mevani said the safai-workers and chowkidars of the country have been suffering and lacked basic amenities.

“I am an Independent MLA and an agitator but not a chowkidar. More than 90 per cent safai workers don’t get the minimum wage even on the Assembly premises in Gujarat. If (Narendra) Modi wants to be the Prime Minister again, let him be. But it shouldn’t be on Hindu-Muslim (lines)….it should be on health, education and employment. We must focus on the major issues in the coming days,” he said.

On Shahid Diwas (Martyrs Day) on Saturday (March 23), Desh Mera, Vote Mera, Mudda Mera (My Country, My Vote, My Issues) campaign has been launched by civil society groups in New Delhi.

“This is the way forward. If this campaign can be taken to every nook and corner of the country, I’m sure that Modi will never be able to be in politics, forget about becoming the Prime Minister. His political career will end. Let me clarify, when you people will reject him in New Delhi, we don’t want him back in Gujarat,” Mevani said, referring to the theme of the conclave, The State of the Nation and Way Forward.

Slamming Modi, he said in the name of constructing the statue of Sardar Patel, the government spent Rs 3,000 crore though Gujarat lacks even basic health facilities.

“There are no MRI devices in the hospitals. One has to travel at least 250km to Ahmedabad to get an MRI done. There the doctor would ask the patient to come after three months because of the pending cases. By that time, the patient would have died. If Rs 1,000 crore is spent, every district will have MRI and city scan machines but that is not happening,” he added.