Congress and BJP workers came to a head for the second day during Congress president Rahul Gandhi’s two-day visit to Parliamentary constituency Amethi on Tuesday. Rahul had to leave his motorcade and march to complete his ‘roadshow’ after the administration changed his route at the last moment.
The Congress later charged the administration of working at the behest of BJP leaders just to ensure that his efforts to meet the local people could be foiled amidst black flags shown by BJP activists. Interestingly, the administration also lodged two separate cases against Congress leaders for clashing with BJP leaders and arguing with administrative officers. Reports said that the police resorted to mild cane charge on Congress workers when they tried to chase away BJP leaders, who gathered at Rajgarh near Gauriganj, to wave black flags to Rahul Gandhi and disturb his road show. After failing to chase away BJP leaders, the administration made a sudden change on the route of Rahul Gandhi. However, Congress MlC Deepak Singh and district Congress chief Yogender Singh asked Rahul to leave the motorcade and complete the roadshow on foot. Subsequently, Rahul stepped out of the vehicle and walked through Gauriganj bazaar area to complete his road show.
Amethi Congress spokesperson Rajesh Tiwari alleged that the police was taking sides with the BJP workers and giving them free hand to protest against the Congress and disrupt Rahul Gandhi’s roadshow. Meanwhile, an FIR was registered against Congress MlC Deepak Singh and 15 others in Salon Kotwali in Rae Bareli for allegedly clashing with BJP workers who protested against Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday.
A case was filed against Singh and 15 others on the complaint of BJP worker Ram Sajivan under sections 147, 323, 352, 427, 504 and 506 of IPC. The administration lodged another case against Singh and others for allegedly misbehaving with security personnel on duty during the visit of Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday.
“Two cases were registered against Deepak Singh and others at Salon police station in Amethi on Monday night. One case was registered on the complaint filed by a citizen, while the other was lodged by the police,” Additional SP, Shashi Shekhar Singh confirmed on Tuesday.
“In his complaint, Ramsajeewan Nirmal said that on Monday when people of Salon were trying to meet MP Rahul Gandhi to narrate their problems, Congress MlC Deepak Singh, party leader Jamal Anwar and 15-20 others attacked them in which Nirmal was injured. Those who tried to save him, were also beaten up,” said the Additional SP. The second case whas registered by in-charge of Salon police station Gaudeen Shukla against Deepak Singh, Anwar and 40-50 others. In his complaint, Shukla said that some people with placards reading ‘where is the Railway line’ in their hands were standing near a nursing home. When asked, they told the police that they were local residents and had come to peacefully convey their problems to their MP. They also said that they would not indulge in sloganeering or wave black flags. While searching them, nothing objectionable was found. The police then resumed its duty with full vigil. “At that time, the convoy of Rahul Gandhi was seen coming. Before the arrival of the convoy, Congress MlC Deepak Singh, party leader Jamal Anwar and 40-50 others came running towards the protesters and attacked them. When the police tried to intervene, they manhandled the police too,” Singh said.