Clash averted between Tanwar, Ranjit supporters

Sushil Manav

Tribune News Service

Sirsa, March 29

A violent confrontation between two factions of the Congress was averted today when a group of Youth Congress workers and NSUI activists who wanted to burn former minister Ranjit Singh’s effigy outside his residence had to face stiff opposition from latter’s supporters.

The police had to intervene when Congress activists from the two factions almost collided first near Ranjit Singh’s residence and then near Baba Bhumman Shah Chowk.

Later, the Youth Congress and NSUI activists burnt his effigy near Bal Bhawan on the Barnala road. The Tanwar loyalists were angry with Ranjit Singh, younger brother of former CM OP Chautala and a close confidant of former CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda, for his unsavoury comments against their leader during Hooda’s visit to Sirsa on Friday.

Ranjit Singh had described Tanwar as “pravasi pakshi” (migratory bird) in his speech in presence of the former CM.

Referring to Tanwar’s nomination for the Sirsa parliamentary seat by the party in the 2009 and 2014 elections, Ranjit Singh had said till the time the party did not stop fielding “parvasi pakshis” from Sirsa, the condition of the Congress would not improve.

Max Sahuwala, district president of the NSUI and coordinator of the Youth Congress for the Rania Assembly segment, led hundreds of party workers. They assembled at the PWD rest house and raised slogans against the former minister.

Later, they proceeded towards Ranjit Singh’s residence, but were confronted by his workers.

Congress workers close to Ranjit Singh also stopped the Youth Congress and NSUI activities from burning the effigy of their leader at Baba Bhuman Shah Chowk.

Addressing a press conference, Naveen Kedia, a Tanwar loyalist, demanded Ranjit Singh’s ouster from the party.

When contacted, Ranjit Singh said his remarks were not directed at Tanwar alone, but were for any outsider fielded from the Sirsa parliamentary seat by the party.