Fistfights, chilli powder & sloganeering, all at SAD-BJP Batala clash
Tuesday, 08/09/2015
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BATALA: In a major clash between councillors and workers from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) — alliance partners in the state government — that started after a meeting of the municipal council was adjourned, a group led by SAD City president Balbir Singh Bittu threw chilli powder at former chief parliamentary secretary and ex-Batala MLA Jagdish Sahni outside his office on Monday.
Previously, Bittu had tried to hit Mahajan inside the meeting hall of the House.
Sahni escaped unhurt as he was wearing sunglasses, but two of his supporters bore the brunt of the attack and were rushed to the Batala civil hospital with burnt eyes. They were discharged later in the day.
The ruckus started after council president from the BJP Naresh Mahajan adjourned the House meeting, reportedly without assigning any reason. This infuriated SAD councillors and workers, who raised slogans against the BJP. Six BJP councillors also joined the SAD protest.
Meanwhile, Mahajan — along with his supporters — went to the office of local MLA Sahni, whose office is 50m from the meeting hall of the council.
Executive officer MS Randhawa calmed tempers a bit inside the House, but Akali workers then marched to Sahni’s office and started sloganeering.
When Sahni came out of his office to pacify the Akalis, red chill powder was thrown at his eyes, the BJP workers claimed.
Later, Sahni, along with other BJP leaders marched to the SSP office, and sought action against Bittu and SAD halqa in-charge Lodhinangal.
“It was after Lodhinangal’s provocation that Akali workers attacked me,” he told the SSP.
No case had been registered against anybody.
