BJP MLA detained following clashes over property dispute in MP
Both the groups have had a long-standing dispute over a piece of land near the Mahadevan Temple at Devra village.
BJP MLA Rakesh Singh Baghel, who was thrashed by party MP Sharad Tripathi on Wednesday, began a sit-in to protest the police action on his supporters.
Baghel, the MLA from Menhdawal in Sant Kabir Nagar district, demanded action against district and police officials who lathicharged his supporters when they tried to create ruckus at the office of the District Magistrate.
His supporters wanted authorities to arrest BJP MP Sharad Tripathi for beating Baghel with a shoe during a meeting of the District Coordination Committee on Wednesday. The video of the brawl had gone viral on social media.
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Reports say that police dispersed Baghel’s supporters with a lathicharge.
“We’ve no demands but administration baton-charged BJP workers with lights switched off. I’m sitting in protest against that. We’re not protesting against Sharad Tripathi,” Baghel told ANI.
“We had an altercation over placement of names on foundation stone of a road project,” he said referring to the issue which triggered the brawl that left the BJP red-faced.
Both Baghel and Tripathi have been summoned to Lucknow by party state unit president Mahendra Nath Pandey.
“We have taken cognizance of this condemnable incident and both have been summoned to Lucknow. Strict disciplinary action will be taken,” Pandey said.
Tripathi, meanwhile, expressed regret over the incident and said that it was against his “normal behaviour”.
Both Tripathi and Baghel said they will present facts before the party.
The incident gave fodder to the opposition to criticise the BJP. Many took to social media to take jibes at the saffron party which is in power in the state as well as the Centre over the incident.
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