E-Paper
BJP workers stormed Cong's Mumbai office, damage furniture: Police
Police officials are inspecting the office, outside which the BJP Yuva Morcha were protesting due to alleged “insults” against Dr BR Ambedkar by the Congress.
The Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYUM), youth wing of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), vandalised the Congress office in Mumbai's Azad Maidan on Thursday, PTI quoted police officials.
The workers damaged furniture and tore and threw ink on posters of Congress leaders, police told PTI. The police used lathi charge to disperse the crowd.
Also Read: Ambedkar row: Parliament in chaos as Rahul's alleged push sends BJP MPs to ICU; Kharge says I was pushed too
The BJYM workers were also reportedly shouting out slogans against the Congress while entering their office.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge took to X to slam the incident, saying,"In a systematic conspiracy, BJP workers ransacked the offices of @INCMumbai and @INCWestBengal in Mumbai and Kolkata respectively, which was later foiled by our committed Congress workers."
Maharashtra assembly's leader of opposition and Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar told ANI that the attack was an attempt to divert attention from comments about Babasaheb Ambedkar made by union home minister Amit Shah in parliament on December 18.
Also Read: ‘Hoped Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi would apologise for their misconduct in Parliament’: BJP on Cong presser
“There should be immediate action. In whose direction did this happen? We will not tolerate this behaviour... The police are always present there. Did they not have the information that this was going to happen? Action should also be taken against the police if they do not take action,” he added.
Also Read: BJP Woman MP accuses Rahul Gandhi of ‘making her uncomfortable’, demands apology
Congress MLC Bhai Jagtap also alleged that the attack on the office by BJP workers was planned as it took place despite the police commissioner's office being situated nearby.
Condemning the vandalism , he said, “Nehru ji, Indira ji, Rajiv ji and Sardar Patel ji sat in that office. So, it is a historic office, but the way they have behaved shows that power has gone in their mind. If you look at it, how 60-100 people can simple barge into the Congress office? ”
The political showdown between the BJP and opposition over Union home minister Amit Shah's remarks on Dr BR Ambedkar witnessed a dramatic escalation outside Parliament.
The BJP alleged that Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi pushed two ruling party MPs, injuring them. Both the BJP lawmakers Pratap Sarangi and Mukesh Rajput are currently admitted in the intensive care unit (ICU) of Delhi's Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital.
Both parties have filed FIRs and have accused the other of inciting violence.
