BJP stages march in Patna over insult to PM Modi, clash erupts with Congress workers

Workers of the BJP and the Congress clashed in Patna on Friday during a protest march taken out by the ruling party in protest against the use of abusive language for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s late mother during Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’.

BJP workers, led by senior leaders like ministers Nitin Nabin and Sanjay Saraogi, besides MLA Sanjiv Chaurasia, marched to Sadaqat Ashram, the state Congress headquarters, a couple of kilometres away, raising slogans against the incident in Darbhanga two days ago.

“We are not going to tolerate the insult to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Rahul Gandhi and his associates must apologise to the nation”, said Nabin.

The gates of Sadaqat Ashram were locked from inside by Congress workers who pelted BJP cadres with stones. In response, BJP workers hurled their party flags like missiles, beat photographs of Gandhi with sticks and vandalised vehicles parked nearby.

The situation was brought under control following the intervention of the police, which persuaded the BJP workers to retreat.

“It was a minor clash, and we have received complaints of injuries sustained by people from both sides. The entire matter will be investigated and further action will be taken accordingly”, Superintendent of Police, Patna (Central) Diksha said.

Meanwhile, a group of Congress workers sat on a dharna outside the Sadaqat Ashram gates in protest against “hooliganism” (gundagardi) of the BJP.