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Poster war rages between AAP, BJP govt in Uttarakhand
Aggrieved over filing of a case against its party worker and subsequent removal of posters, hoardings, display boards put up by the Aam Aadmi Party across Haridwar, AAP activists are staging protests and sit-in against the action, which they alleged is mere political vendetta Alleging deliberate targeting, AAP volunteers and leaders claimed police and the municipal corporation were acting on directives of the BJP-led government as they are only removing the hoardings of AAP while refraining to do so in the case of other political parties
Aggrieved over filing of a case against its party worker and subsequent removal of posters, hoardings, display boards put up by the Aam Aadmi Party across Haridwar, AAP activists are staging protests and sit-in against the action, which they alleged is mere political vendetta
Alleging deliberate targeting, AAP volunteers and leaders claimed police and the municipal corporation were acting on directives of the BJP-led government as they are only removing the hoardings of AAP while refraining to do so in the case of other political parties.
A case was registered on Monday at the city police station under the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act on the complaint of Assistant Town Commissioner Municipal Commissioner Mahendra Kumar Yadav against AAP volunteers for putting up hoardings and banners without permission on government property.
Later, police arrested AAP auto cell district president Rakesh Kumar who accepted that without permission from concerned authorities, he had put up posters and banners of the party within the municipal limits.
Aggrieved by this action, AAP activists led by women wing state vice president Hema Bhandari have been staging sit-in agitation, gherao the city police station and carrying out protest marches across the city.
On Tuesday, Hema Bhandari, along with party workers, warned of intensifying their protest if such curbing tactics are further carried out by the administration.
“Posters of BJP leaders were put across the city from Raiwala to Haridwar when last week their national president JP Nadda arrived. BJP hoardings were seen at hundreds of electricity poles, trees, dividers, intersections and marketplaces. Even flyovers were not left by BJP workers but neither the municipal corporation nor the police took any action. Similarly, Congress and other political parties, social organizations and even individuals have put up their hoardings and banners at public places and same sites where AAP has put them up, but no action was taken against them,” said Hema Bhandari.
Sub-inspector, City Police Station, Sunil Rawat said that as the case was registered, Rakesh Kumar, currently a resident of Hari-Pur-Kalan was arrested and confessed to putting up banners and hoardings without the required permission at public places.
Municipal Town Commissioner Dayanand Saraswati said that if illegal hoardings without permission have been put up by anyone, then action will be taken against such violators.
BJP district general secretary Vikas Tiwari said that due permission has been taken by the party district unit whenever they put up hoardings and banners, ensuring maximum are put up at authorised display sites.
While Congress leader Satpal Brahmachari said that many times party workers from their own side put hoardings having faces of senior leaders but they should also ensure proper permission.
