Congress, BJP workers brawl in Raipur as demonetisation protest turns violent; six policemen injured

Raipur: Workers of the the Congress and BJP clashed Wednesday during a protest on the first anniversary of demonetisation, injuring six police personnel. The scuffle broke out in Gudhiyari area in Raipur during a demonstration rally held by the Congress to mark the note ban anniversary, Raipur Superintendent of Police Sanjeev Shukla told PTI. “Six policemen sustained injuries while they were trying to control the situation. Two of them suffered head injuries. All the injured have been shifted to a local hospital,” he said. [caption id=“attachment_3893853” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. Reuters[/caption] Leaders of both the parties complained of attacking each other and also claimed that several workers of their respective parties got injured in the scuffle, the SP said. A probe has been initiated in this connection, he added. The Congress claimed that BJP leaders and workers pelted them with stones when thy were peacefully protesting against the demonetisation exercise of the Centre in Gudhiyari area which falls under the constituency of state’s PWD Minister Rajesh Munat. “All the senior party leaders, including AICC general secretary and state in-charge PL Punia, were present during the protest. It seems that BJP workers wanted to inflict injuries on senior Congress leaders,” state Congress president Bhupesh Baghel said. Baghel alleged that BJP workers hurled stones on Congress leaders on direction of the minister. He also accused police of protecting ruling party workers and demanded to register case of attempt to murder against them. Congress leaders also sought an apology from Chief Minister Raman Singh and state BJP chief Dharamlal Kaushik for the alleged violent act of their workers. Meanwhile, ruling BJP rejected the charges and said that it was Congress workers who created tension during the protest. “Congress is leveling false charges on BJP workers after the opposition party was exposed in the fake CD row,” BJP MLA and spokesperson Shivratan Sharma said. BJP workers had gone to the protest site to show black flags to Bhupesh Baghel over the “fake” CD row. But, Congress workers turned violent and started pelting stones on them that left many BJP workers injured, Sharma said.