BJP, Congress workers clash over Rafale deal issue in Uttarakhand
What's the story
The BJP and Congress workers clashed over the Rafale deal issue at Congress Bhawan in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, yesterday.
Minutes before senior Congress leader Kumari Selja was to address a press conference over the Rafale deal issue at the party office, the BJP workers allegedly stormed into its precincts and started tearing off the posters and banners leading to a clash with the Congress workers.
The clash
BJP workers even clashed with police personnel: Pritam Singh
A senior police official said the Congress workers resisted the protest.
The BJP workers even clashed with police personnel when they tried to stop them, Pradesh Congress president Pritam Singh said.
The BJP workers had gathered at Astley Hall to burn an effigy of Congress president Rahul Gandhi, who they claimed was "misleading the nation over Rafale", ADG law and order Ashok Kumar said.
Complaint
BJP workers broke barricades, marched towards Congress Bhawan: ADG
Kumar said the BJP workers broke the barricades and then marched towards Congress Bhawan.
As per a complaint lodged by Congress leaders, the vandalism by the BJP workers at the party office was meant to disrupt a press conference by Selja on the Rafale deal.
The deputy inspector general has been asked to look into the allegations made by the Congress, the ADG said.
Reaction
Rahul used unparliamentary language against PM, called him thief: Goel
The BJP workers said the Congress president was "spreading lies" about Rafale despite the fact that the Supreme Court had found nothing wrong in the deal.
"Despite the chinks in his own armor, Rahul Gandhi has used unparliamentary language against the Prime Minister, calling him a thief and lowering the dignity of the top office, " BJP Mahanagar president Vinay Goel said.
Retaliation
Will demonstrate against BJP by burning party effigy: Singh
When asked about the vandalism, Goel said the BJP workers were only peacefully protesting.
Condemning the incident, Pritam Singh said it reflected the frustration prevailing in the BJP ranks over the party's electoral loss in MP, Chhattisgarh, and Rajasthan.
He said the Congress will demonstrate against the BJP all over the state by burning the Bharatiya Janata Party's effigy at every district headquarters.