Budhni villagers dodge security, surprise CM
MORE THAN 100 tribals from the Budhni assembly constituency, including women and children, on Sunday dodged the security cordon and laid siege to the Chief Minister’s residence to protest demolition of their dwellings.
Bharatiya Janshakti State general secretary Bhagwandas Sabnani and Vikas Virani were leading the protesters. When the agitated tribals did not yield to the security officers’ persuasion, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan came out to hear them. He assured the tribals that they would not be evicted.
The agitation is seen in the backdrop of the forthcoming Vidisha by-election where Bharatiya Janshakti chief Uma Bharti is gearing up to take on the Chief Minister. The tribals allege they are being victimised for supporting ‘Didi’ Uma Bharti.
The BJ leaders had so cleverly mobilised the protesters in the afternoon that the intelligence people were caught unawares. Intelligence agencies got to know about the siege plan only after the tribals had already reached the main gate of the CM’s residence.
The CM later told reporters that the tribals would be rehabilitated at Machhwai village.
The CM later told reporters that the tribals would be rehabilitated at Machhwai village.