Bhubaneswar: The Master Canteen Square in Bhubaneswar turned into a virtual battleground on Tuesday evening following a scuffle between BJP and Congress workers.
The violent clash which witnessed stone pelting and fighting erupted after BJP workers staged protests at the Master Canteen square over Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Raul Gandhi’s alleged remarks against Hindu in the Parliament on Monday.
The BJP protesters allegedly threw cow dung at the poster of Rahul Gandhi put at the Congress Bhawan in Master Canteen square and the Congress workers retaliated. Both sides pelted stones at each other’s in the presence of police. The scuffle continued for quite some time.
As many as seven BJP workers sustained injuries on their heads in the stone pelting. The BJP lodged a complaint at the Capital police station in this regard.
Congress workers of the students’ wing cleansed the poster of Rahul Gandhi with milk as a mark of high respect.
“Everyone has the right to protest. But, the BJP workers hurled cow dung, stones and attacked us with sticks in the presence of Police before the office of a national party which indicates that BJP is trying to begin a politics of violence in the land of Lingaraj and Jagannath,” said Yasir Nawaz, Congress President.
Nawaz warned that the Chief Minister and other leaders of the BJP wouldn’t be let travel on the streets by the student wing of Congress if police fail to take any action in the case.
On Monday, Gandhi, in his first address as Leader of Opposition (LoP) brandished a copy of the Constitution and a photo of Lord Shiva while criticising the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in the Lok Sabha.
Gandhi on Monday targeted the BJP, saying those who call themselves Hindus “only talk about violence, hatred and lies”. Prime Minister Narendra Modi reacted that dubbing the entire Hindu community as “violent” was a serious matter. After the exchange, Union Home Minister Amit Shah demanded an apology from the Congress leader.
