Clashes between BJP and Congress workers on the streets of Hyderabad on Tuesday left one person injured during a protest against the intemperate remarks made by BJP leader Ramesh Bidhuri against Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi.

The other day, while speaking at an election rally in his constituency in the national capital, Bidhuri drew an analogy between the smooth roads he promised with Priyanka Gandhi’s cheeks. Though he apologised for his remark later in the face of protests, the Congress party persisted with its demand for his suspension from the BJP.

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There was a riot-like situation on the streets at Nampally when protesting Telangana Youth Congress members breached barriers, pelted eggs and stones at the BJP headquarters and burnt an effigy shouting slogans of “Modi down… down…” With BJP workers coming out of the party office armed with sticks to chase the protestors away full-blown clashes ensued between the two groups leaving a BJP worker injured bleeding profusely.

A few police personnel present on the spot tried to intervene in vain as they were outnumbered by them. However, after a while, police reinforcements rushed in to diffuse the prevailing tension. Security was beefed up around the BJP headquarters after the clashes.

BJP spokesperson K Krishna Sagar Rao condemned the attack by what he called  an “unruly Congress mob”. He demanded that “Chief Minister Revanth Reddy should apologise to the BJP for having allowed this illegal, devious and unprovoked attack on our party office”.

“Is there law and order in Telangana? Have police become just bystanders while Congress goons unleash anarchy and violence in the state,” he asked while demanding immediate arrest of all those involved in the attack on the BJP state office and those who planned and authorised this illegal, violent action.

BJP LA Raja Singh also condemned the incident calling it an attack on the BJP party office in Hyderabad.

Meanwhile, Congress minister Danasari Seethakka condemned the comments of Ramesh Bidhuri saying it was not only an insult to Priyanka Gandhi but also to women in general. Demanding Bidhuri’s suspension from his party, Seethakka said her party strongly condemns the abuse and abusive language against women.

Meanwhile, the police detained seven people in connection with the clashes in front of the BJP office and are trying to identify the rest.