Around a dozen BJP MlAs, including the leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Ajay Bhatt and State BJP president Tirath Singh Rawat, staged a sit-in outside Gandhi Park on Tuesday in protest against what they alleged ‘murder of democracy’ by Congress- led State Government and its vindictive action against BJP MlAs.
Bhatt slammed the State Government for unleashing its police on them when the BJP MlAs were staging protest outside the CM’s residence Bijapur Guest house on Monday evening. “Cops used brute force at the behest of the State Government. This amounts to contempt of democracy. We are elected representatives of the people. We being in the opposition have every right to raise the public issue. CM Harish Rawat should have heard out our grievances. Narayan Dutt Tiwari set a democratic precedent when he was the CM. During a stir by the BJP MlAs, he talked to them. The present CM should have followed the lead of the veteran,” he added.
He further said that the BJP MlAs, including Prakash Pant and Harbans Kapoor, had staged the sit-in under compulsion. “No development works are being done in their constituencies. Besides, they are being framed in false cases and sent to jails. The State Government is acting vindictive as we are vocal over several scams like those related to disaster relief, mining and liquor trade. We would raise the issue in the forthcoming Vidhan Sabha session slated to begin on November 2,” the BJP leader said.
Referring to the case involving the party MlA Arvind Pandey who is behind bars now, he said they would continue with their stir until the State Government orders CBI probe into the alleged assault case.
Tirath Singh Rawat alleged that Monday’s police highhandedness amounted to murder of democracy. “The sit-in was peaceful. Police were unleashed on us to gag the Opposition’s voice,” he added.