Cong, SP come face to face

CONGRESSMEN AND Samajwadi Party leaders came face to face, shouted slogans against each other?s governments and highlighted their failures, at the collectorate here this afternoon. Later, large number of Congressmen courted arrest following dharna and demonstration against the State government. They were protesting against alleged manipulations and rigging in the recently concluded civic poll, breakdown of the law and order machinery, rising crime, rule of mafia and corruption in the administration.

Many Congressmen injured in lathicharge

CONGRESSMEN AND Samajwadi Party leaders came face to face, shouted slogans against each other’s governments and highlighted their failures, at the collectorate here this afternoon. Later, large number of Congressmen courted arrest following dharna and demonstration against the State government. They were protesting against alleged manipulations and rigging in the recently concluded civic poll, breakdown of the law and order machinery, rising crime, rule of mafia and corruption in the administration. They demanded imposition of President’s rule in the State.

Meanwhile, cops resorted to selective lathicharge, targeting Congressmen only, which left several of them injured. A Congress leader also fainted during the melee.

On the other hand, Samajwadi Party leaders assembled at the place to oppose the Congress demand of President’s rule in the State. They also attacked the UPA government for its failure on several fronts. Though members of both the parties refrained from any physical attack but the atmosphere remained surcharged for quite some on the campus, including the DM’s residence.

Congressmen were led by senior leaders including Rita Bahuguna Joshi, Shekhar Bahuguna, Amar Nath Misra, Ch Jitendra Nath Singh, Abhay Awasthi, Fuzail Hashmi,Virendra Mohiley, Rehman Ali, Madhu Chakha, Shivram Misra, Ramjeet Upadhya,, Awdhesh Dwivedi. Others included Nafees Anwar, Upendra Singh, Sanjay Tewari, Raghunath Dwivedi, Manju Maurya,, Satya Pandey,Yamuna Prasad, Prahlad Dwivedi,Nayan Kushwaha, Vijay Bahadur Singh, Sanjay Krishna Srivastava, Lal Singh and several others.

Senior congress leader Abhay Awasthi said, the party dharna and demonstration had been going on since November 20 at different places in the State but there had been no harassment of party workers and leaders. However, on Thursday, the administration resorted to lathi charge at the peaceful demonstrators at the behest of the State government, he said.

He said the Samajwadi Party had put up a parallel show to the Congress agitation but they failed in their endeavour. The lathi charge took place at two places on the campus. He also accused the cops of misbehaving with women leaders and activists. There were hardly a few female police personnel, he alleged.

He said Congress was acting on the call given by Sonia Gandhi who had recently asked party men to launch “Jail Bharo’ against the State government’s ‘Jeb Bharo’ policy.

Meanwhile, Congressmen including senior party leader Ashok Bajpai, condemned the lathi charge and demanded action against those responsible.