A day after brutal attack on police horse Shaktiman, there has been widespread anger against the accused BJP MlA even as noisy scenes were witnessed in the Uttarakhand Assembly on Tuesday. While demanding withdrawal of the police case against Mussoorie MlA Ganesh Joshi, the BJP sought a discussion on “deteriorating law and order” in the State provoking a sharp reaction from the Congress. The ruling party said the Opposition had no moral right to seek a debate on the subject after its MlA indulged in “attacking a horse” during a protest march in Dehradun. Uttarakhand Parliamentary Affairs Minister Indira Hridayesh sought an apology from Joshi, who continued to claim innocence.
Amid the continuing outrage, 13-year-old Shakitman on Tuesday underwent a surgery to fix its fractured leg. Authorities said no amputation is required now. Shaktiman was operated upon by a team of doctors from Pantnagar Veterinary College. Senior Superintendent of Police Sadanand Date said, “The injury has been fixed and no amputation is required”.
There was speculation that the leg of the horse might need to be sawed off. The horse of Uttarakhand Mounted Police was attacked near Rispana bridge during a protest march by BJP to the Assembly. When intercepted near the bridge, BJP workers tried to jump over the barricades prompting security personnel, including the mounted police, to swing into action to control the protesters. This enraged Joshi who allegedly began hitting the horse with a stick, fracturing one of its hind legs.
The Assembly witnessed a furore during zero hour when Uttarakhand BJP president and leader of Opposition Ajay Bhatt rose from his seat to demand a debate on deteriorating law and order scenario which was reflected in the “repressive measures” adopted by the administration on Monday to quell an agitation by the BJP.
Reacting sharply to Bhatt’s demand, Hridayesh said a party which was itself responsible for disturbing the law and order situation had no right to seek a debate on it. She said cruelty shown towards a hapless animal by Joshi had put the BJP on the back foot in its so-called movement against corruption and alleged collapse of the law and order.
Provoked BJP members rose from their seats and protested the manner in which a party worker was hit with the hooves of a horse by Uttarakhand Mounted Police during Monday’s protests. Waving a picture of the BJP worker lying at the feet of the horse in the House, Bhatt said the party worker had gone numb on one side of his body and is still critical.
Asserting that the “repressive” action reminded him of the British era when such coercive methods were common, Bhatt said a case lodged against BJP MlA Ganesh Joshi in connection with the attack on the horse be withdrawn as he was not responsible for the injuries to the animal. With both Opposition and ruling party MlAs rising from their seats and shouting at the peak of their voices the house was plunged into din and hardly anything was audible.
The BJP MlAs waved a CD in the Assembly to show the innocence of Joshi. Bhatt said, “Our MlA is being vilified for an act he has not committed. However, we are ready to bear all expenses involved in Shaktiman’s surgery and others on humanitarian grounds.”
Howerver, Central BJP leadership has taken cognizance of the issue and likely to take action against the accused MlA. “Party has taken a serious note of the incident… Such behaviour is unacceptable. I am sure the party will take a call on this,” said Union Minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy.
Interestingly, when the Opposition BJP had managed a mammoth support for its Vidhan Sabha Gherao rally on March 14, the incident has put the Opposition on the back foot after the attack on the horse.
The equine was the cynosure of all eyes with Chief Minister Harish Rawat visiting the stable located at the police lines to enquire about its condition. “A look at the horse shows the excruciating pain the animal is undergoing. A political party should not vent its frustration on a hapless animal in this manner. Political workers must learn the value of restraint and tolerance. It seems the word tolerance does not exist in BJP’s dictionary,” Rawat said.