Bajrang Dal, Cong stage dharnas

AMID SPATE of condemnation of the attacks on Christians in the State, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan today assured a delegation of the community full State protection and stern action against the perpetrators of violence.

AMID SPATE of condemnation of the attacks on Christians in the State, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan today assured a delegation of the community full State protection and stern action against the perpetrators of violence.

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While Congress today gheraoed Govindpura police station to protest the attacks, Bajrang Dal too organised a dharna,  seeking action against the police for harassing its activists in Bhopal and Gwalior.

The Bajrang Dal staged a dharna at Roshanpura Square demanding an inquiry into alleged harassment of its activists in Bhopal and Gwalior by the police and withdrawal of criminal cases against them.

The activists later called off the dharna after 15-20 minutes on assurance from the government that their demands were being looked into. According to Bajrang Dal activists, Vishwa Hindu Parishad regional president Gulab Chand Khandelwal met Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and apprised him of the situation in which the police allegedly implicated Bajrang Dal activists on ‘false charges’ at the two places.

The CM reportedly assured him that he was looking into the matter and the government would take a decision on the same soon.

Congress activists led by former MLA P C Sharma today gheraoed Govindpura police station to protest against the attack on a Christian assembly in this locality recently.  He also handed over a memorandum on the occasion accusing police and administration of inaction under pressure from the ruling BJP.

The memorandum further said only five of the assailants allegedly involved in the incident were arrested and they, too, were allowed to secure bail because of the weak case presented against them.     

It further said militant saffron     outfits   had created an    atmosphere of terror throughout the State and    recent incidents of violence at several places in Madhya Pradesh bore ample testimony to their growing menace.

Former MP and Congress leader Gufran-e-Azam, while condemning the incidents of violence against Christians, said if the Congress were in power, persons involved in such incidents would not have been spared.

But, under the BJP regime, neither the common people nor their protectors- the police personnel- were safe as exemplified by recent incidents, he said.        

State Congress spokesperson Manak Agrawal today accused the State Government of being a mute witness to attacks on Christians in different parts of Madhya Pradesh, allegedly by saffron outfits like Bajrang Dal.

Addressing a press conference, Agrawal said recent incidents of attacks on Christians indicate that the BJP Government has ‘surrendered’ before militant saffron outfits.

He further said if Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan was finding it difficult to control violence perpetrated by Bajrang Dal, he should resign.

In the absence of effective action by police and administration to prevent such incidents, Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) activists had gone so berserk that they not only called for Gwalior bandh to protest against alleged cow slaughter but also ‘thrashed’ shopkeepers who refused to close down their establishments.

 

 

He further said BJP Government has failed to take a firm stand on Dhar issue as well, where tension was mounting as both the Hindus and Muslims are not yielding their respective positions as regard prayers at Bhojshala on Basant Panchami.

While Hindu outfits have demanded handing over of the complex to them for the whole day on Basant Panchami, Muslims have   stick to their demand  that they be allowed into the complex between 1.00 pm to 3.00 pm to offer special namaz on Friday.

He said PWD Minister Kailash Vijayvergiya and Chairman of State Minorities Commission Anwar Mohammad Khan were camping in Dhar to find a way out but have failed in their endeavour.

Agrawal demanded that the Chief Minister should, himself, visit Dhar to resolve the issue so that any confrontation on Basant Panchami (February 3) could be averted.