OVER 500 Congressmen, including the top Congress leaders of the City, were arrested today at the Malwa Mill crossing for showing black flags to register their protest against L K Advani’s ‘Bharat Suraksha Yatra’.
The Congressmen had announced their programme yesterday itself and there was heavy police presence to prevent any clash between Congressmen and Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha activists who had also gathered there to thwart the Congressmen.
Apparently, the Congressmen also did not want an ugly confrontation and therefore they decided to hold their demonstration an hour before Advani was scheduled to enter the City.
Senior Congress leaders including City Congress president Ujagar Singh and former IDA chairman Kripa Shankar Shukla were already present at the Malwa Mill Crossing since 5 pm. Slowly the number of Congressmen swelled, but they were kept behind the barricade by the policemen who were there is large numbers.
Soon MLA Ashwin Joshi trooped in with his supporters, followed by State Congress vice-president Tulsi Silawat and his supporters. The Congressmen shouted slogans against the Yatra, which they said was an attempt to polarise the country on communal lines. A number of anti-Advani pamphlets were also distributed on the occasion.
As the number of Congressmen swelled, led by Ashwin Joshi, they tried to break the barricade and reach the road through which Advani’s Yatra would pass.
{{/usCountry}}As the number of Congressmen swelled, led by Ashwin Joshi, they tried to break the barricade and reach the road through which Advani’s Yatra would pass.
{{/usCountry}}After a minor scuffle, the Congressmen were arrested, bundled into waiting vehicles and taken away. However, even while going the Congressmen showed black flags and jeered at the BJYM activists who were waiting nearby in a group.