Congress show of strength in Scindia's domian

BHOPAL: Hours before BJP’s mega membership drive in Gwalior, Congress on Saturday displayed its show of strength in Jyotiraditya

Scindia

’s seat of influence. Hundreds of Congress workers hit the roads in

Gwalior

to protest the BJP’s membership drive in times of Corona scare.


Former ministers Lakhan Singh, Bhagwan Singh Yadav and Balendu Shukla courted arrest. Police arrested hundreds of Congress workers and local leaders who were later released.


Sixteen of the 27 assembly seats going for bypolls is from the Gwalior-Chambal region. It is here that chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, BJP leader Jyotiraditya Scindia, Union minister Narendra Singh Tomar and state BJP chief VD Sharma is scheduled to spend the next three days to mobilise party workers and lead a membership drive.

But the Congress is not willing to give a cake-walk. State PCC claimed that the protest proved that Congress is not run by Scindia in the Gwalior region. Former MP Ram Sevak Singh told reporters, “When Scindia was in the Congress party, I was with him. But Congress cannot be weakened because someone chose to leave. The protest is Congress workers’ rage against traitors. We will win all 27 seats in the bypolls.”

Even before the BJP leaders could reach Gwalior on Saturday, state Congress workers gathered at Shinde Ki Chavni area to protest and show their strength before the upcoming bypolls. With a three-layer security arrangement, police barricaded the area from Phool Baag Maidan to Shibde Ki Chavni as Congress under leadership of local leaders marched in huge numbers with black flags and shouting slogans. The protest, however, broke all norms of social distancing.

Former minister and state Congress vice-president Balendu Shukla said, “Does the BJP want to control Corona epidemic or help spread it? Congress party wanted to peacefully hold a demonstration at the foot of the Mahatma Gandhi statue. But police stopped us on the road while BJP has called its workers from Bhind, Datia, Morena and all across Chambal region. What Corona protocol will be maintained when their crowds reach the city? And why blame us when they started it all.”

Media in-charge of Congress in Gwalior-Chambal KK Mishra alleged, “The administration speaks of safety guidelines on Covid. But in Gwalior, if it spreads then it will be none other than administration and police who will be responsible. How did they give BJP the permission for such a function? Where are their rules when it comes to the BJP?”

As the Congress’ numbers swelled around 11 am, there were exchanges of fisticuffs with the police. The leaders including the former ministers, MP Ram Sevak Singh, district party president Devendra Sharma and hundreds of workers were arrested, shoved into buses and whisked away by the police.

State Congress spokesman Durgesh Sharma said, “The protest registered by Congress workers in Gwalior today was a message for Jyotiraditya Scindia and the BJP. The message was that no one in the Congress party is a bonded labourer. Those who had to leave, have left. But the party’s foundation of dedicated workers showed Scindia that the Congress made him, he didn’t make the party.” Congress claimed that many workers were stopped and nabbed by the police before the demonstration.

“But Congress workers showed Scindia their true power and that they stand with the leadership of the Congress party. Entire country must have watched today that Congress cannot to shaken,” Sharma said.

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