Workers thrash car driver as BJP protests Kerala killings

CHANDIGARH: A group of workers of the BJP’s youth wing today thrashed a commuter in full public view in the middle of the Sector 29/30 light point even as the party workers were holding a protest against the alleged killing of RSS and BJP activists in Kerala, at a few metres away.

Cops use water cannons to disperse protesting BJP workers, led by the party’s city unit chief Sanjay Tandon, in Chandigarh on Saturday. Tribune photo: Manoj Mahajan

Sandeep Rana

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 14

A group of workers of the BJP’s youth wing today thrashed a commuter in full public view in the middle of the Sector 29/30 light point even as the party workers were holding a protest against the alleged killing of RSS and BJP activists in Kerala, at a few metres away. Cops remained a mute spectator to the assault.

The incident took place when some party men carrying BJP flags were returning after taking part in a demonstration outside the CPM office in Sector 30. A group of youths, mostly belonging to Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), were at the light point when a car tried to make its way ahead. The car driver, who was ferrying a passenger, asked them to give him way. A heated exchange ensued. Following this, they slapped him in front of motorists waiting for the car to move on. The group of youths then pushed him and thrashed him while other car drivers kept honking horns. A young turbaned BJYM member, along with others, was later joined by a BJP worker, who too repeatedly slapped the driver. Senior party members intervened and let the driver go.

“They are protesting against violence in a state ruled by another party. What about their behaviour in a city ruled by their own party,” remarked a commuter.

City BJP president Sanjay Tandon said, “The incident is not in my knowledge. It must have been a minor fight. Though I am not supporting their act, it will not be apt to compare it with the brutal killing of BJP and RSS workers in Kerala. We just want to convey that even though communists and the BJP have different ideologies, we can co-exist.” Meanwhile, BJP workers held a ‘Janraksha Yatra’, which began from Sewa Dham in Sector 29. The police stopped the protesters at barricades installed near the CPM office in Sector 30 where the march was to culminate. The cops used water cannons to disperse them. Haryana minister Krishna Bedi and Panchkula MLA Gyan Chand Gupta, along with city Mayor Asha Jaswal,took part in the protest.