After facing major embarrassment due to the clash between two factions of Haryana Congress in the National Capital last week, the Congress on Monday announced that former Union Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde will probe the incident in which the party's Haryana chief Ashok Tanwar was also injured.
On October 6, Tanwar had sustained injuries during a violent clash between his and former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda’s supporters in New Delhi. The clash which also injured more than a dozen Congress workers had taken place during Congress’ vice president Rahul Gandhi’s visit to Bhairon temple to end his month-long Kisan Yatra.
“Congress President Sonia Gandhi has decided that former Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde will conduct an inquiry into the October 6 incident at Bhairon Mandir where workers and leaders had assembled to welcome Rahul Gandhi. Shinde has been asked to submit his report at the earliest,” Congress leader Janardan Dwivedi said in a statement.
While Delhi Police has already registered a case against six people including three private security officers of Hooda in an alleged attack on Tanwar, the former Chief Minister was summoned by Rahul Gandhi on Monday on the issue.
Though there is no official word on transpired in the hour long meeting between the two leaders, sources said that Hooda gave clarification on the clash and has termed the incident as clash between party workers. The two-time Chief Minister Hooda has also alleged that some people are trying to defame him after the incident.
Sources said that Rahul Gandhi also met party’s incharge for Haryana affairs, Kamal Nath, who was a day before asked to submit his report on the incident.
Meanwhile, the clash between the supporters of Tanwar and Hooda has escalated the infighting in the state party unit. While Tanwar supporters have been protesting and burning effigy of Hooda in various parts of the state, Hooda camp has been issuing statements in his favour and terming the incident as a scuffle between party workers.
As the state party unit is witnessing its worst infighting, Ashok Tanwar on Monday urged the party workers to stay united and do not hold any protest related to the bloody clash.
Tanwar in a statement issued, asked the party workers not to protest against anyone following this scuffle. The state party chief also alleged that he and his supporters were not treated well in Ram Manohar lohia (RMl) Hospital. He was shifted to the Ganga Ram Hospital on Sunday.
Tanwar also expressed faith in party central leadership, who he said, will take appropriate action against accused and conspirators in the violent clash.
The Haryana Congress chief had suffered head and spine injuries in the clash following which Tanwar supporters had met Kamal Nath demanding ouster of Hooda and his supporters from the party.
The Delhi Police had registered a case on Friday evening under section 323 (causing hurt) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC into the incident. As per the reports, another case has now been registered against the party workers for protesting at the RMl hospital.
Tanwar and two-time Chief Minister Hooda had been engaged in a tug-of-war since 2014 Haryana assembly polls in which the party was reduced to 15 seats, even losing the status of the main opposition party to the Indian National lok Dal (INlD) in the state assembly.
It is since then that the Hooda camp has been trying to dislodge Tanwar from his post. In the past, several state MlAs had also met Kamal Nath raising the issue of infighting in the state party unit and demanding removal of Tanwar from the chief post.