Lucknow: Bahujan Samaj Party chief and former chief minister Mayawati on Thursday distanced herself and the party from the violent protest against demolition of Ravidas Temple in Delhi's Tughlakabad area. The BSP chief also appealed to her party workers to not go on a rampage and take the law in their hands.
"The age old practice of BSP workers of not taking law in their hands is still very prevalent unlike other political parties. We cannot cause inconvenience to innocent people in the name of our great people and ideologues. That is why BSP has nothing to do with the violent protests in Tughlakabad last evening. BSP always respects law and our protests are always within the boundary of law," she tweeted.
Mayawati advised party workers not to violate Section 144 of the CrPC after any "unfortunate incident". "Do not not try to forcibly go to the incident site so as not to give the government an opportunity to take an autocratic and vindictive action," she tweeted.
A protest by Dalits in Tughlakabad area turned violent on Wednesday night, leaving several people, including policemen, injured. A heavy police force was deployed in the area as tension prevailed after police resorted to lathi-charge to disperse the protesters and detained Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad and 50 others, a senior police officer said.
The protest brought the movement of traffic in several parts of Delhi to a standstill, as police personnel struggled to bring the situation under control.
Further reacting to the incident, Mayawati said, "If the government imposes section 144 anywhere, then in that case BSP workers will have to abide by the law. Unlike other political leaders, BSP workers should not try to go to a place where there are prohibitory orders and give government a chance to take action against them."
Bhim Army had called for Delhi Bandh on August 21, which he said said would be followed by a mega protest at Jantar Mantar.
Speaking to News18 on Delhi bandh, Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad had said that he strongly condemns the demolition of 600-year-old temple of Guru Ravidas. “The brahminical BJP government and judges in the name of land encroachment gave demolition orders as the teachings of Guru Ravidas are against the idea of Hindu Rashtra." The leader also hit out BJP and AAP government and said both Centre and Delhi governments are responsible for the condemnable act.
Comments
0 comment