Kawardha violence: BJP MP criticises ruling Congress for detaining party leaders, workers

Santosh Pandey, the Rajnandgaon Lok Sabha constituency Member of Parliament (MP), reacted to the FIR filed against him in connection with violence in Chhattisgarh's Kawardha town on Monday, 11 October, alleging that the Congress government had taken biassed action against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers.

"In the incident that happened between two communities, biased action is being taken against BJP workers, it is wrong and Ravindra Choubey ji will also have to answer and watch the video footage. He should not talk without facts. No outsider had come to Kawardha," stated the BJP MP.

Pandey attacked Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel for offering a Rs 50 lakh payout to farmers' families and said, "If they even give only Rs 45 lakh to the tribal brothers killed in Silger in Chhattisgarh. That would be a big deal". The government is taking one-sided action and BJP will not tolerate this. For this, we are ready to do agitation. In the incident that happened in Kawardha, Congress is making statements without facts," added the BJP MP.

Pandey was in Rajnandgaon for a one-day visit today, where he spoke with the media at the city's parliamentary office.  According to Kawardha superintendent of police (SP) Mohit Garg, seven FIRs have been filed against a thousand persons, including Pandey and former MP Abhishek Singh, in connection with violence in Kawardha town three days ago.  

Ruling Congress blames BJP for Kawardha Violence

The ruling Congress party in Chhattisgarh blamed the BJP for the violence in the state's Kawardha town earlier this week, saying the saffron party wants to engage in communalism politics because it has "run out of issues." Three senior ministers of state, speaking at a press conference, admitted a "small lapse" on the part of the local administration in checking the admission of a significant number of individuals from outside Kawardha before the incident, notwithstanding the imposition of section 144 of the CrPC.

On Tuesday, violence erupted at a rally organised by right-wing outfits in Kawardha, the district headquarters, in protest of a clash between members of two communities over the removal of religious flags from a roadway in the town on October 3, resulting in property destruction. Following the incident, a curfew was imposed.

(with inputs from ANI)

Image: ANI