Jamshedpur: Supporters of state health and disaster management minister Banna Gupta along with Congress workers from the Kadma area took out a rally against the East Singhbhum SSP Tamil Vanan in Steel City and burned his effigy in protest against the alleged failures of police to maintain law and order in the city. BJP has termed the incident as personal vendetta of the minister against the SSP.
The rally led by Gupta's in-charge of IT cell Pappu Singh along with presidents of Congress's Kadma and Mango zones, Babua Jha and Naushad.
Sources said on Thursday that the rally was taken out to highlight the failures of the Jamshedpur police in curbing law and order.
The protestors covered various areas and later burnt the effigy of the police super in front of Kadma police station.
The rally was led by the in-charge of minister's IT cell, Pappu Singh, along with Congress Kadma zone head Babua Jha and Mango's Naushad.
Sources said the rally and effigy burning programme was organized with due consent of the minister.
In another stir, the SSP's effigy was burnt in Mango chowk area for the same reason.
Pappu Singh said after Vanan took over as the SSP earlier this year, there have been several cases of theft and spurt in gambling. Other protesters claimed that police have failed to deal with the "rising substance abuse" cases in the city and demanded immediate removal of the SSP.
Opposition BJP has termed the rally and the burning of the effigy as personal vendetta of the minister and his followers against the SSP.
Former BJP mahanagar head Dinesh Kumar said the effigy burning does not send the right signal and lowers the morale of the cops.
Kumar claimed that since the SSP has not followed the minister's instructions to appealed the minority vote bank, which Gupta enjoys, the party workers protested against the senior officer.
"How can the minister's supporters burn the effigy of the SSP, who is appointed by the government, in which Gupta is a cabinet minister?" Kumar added.