Protesting farmers and BJP workers clash at UP Gate

Ghaziabad: Farmers at UP Gate and BJP workers, who had gathered at the border to welcome the party’s newly-appointed state secretary Amit Valmiki, clashed at the protest site on Wednesday morning. While the BJP alleged that several of its workers were injured,
Rakesh Tikait’s Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) claimed there was a bid to malign the outfit and that the party had tried to provoke the farmers and capture the protest stage.
“We had gathered near the Hindon elevated road to welcome our leader Amit Valmiki. As his cavalcade was passing through, the farmers got enraged after seeing the BJP workers carrying the party flags. Rakesh Tikait’s men, who were on the other side of the Delhi-Meerut Expressway, chased us and attacked us with sticks and swords,” alleged Yashpal Pehelwan, BJP councillor from ward number 10.
He claimed that many workers got injured and a woman’s leg was fractured. “They broke the windshields of about 40 vehicles, including those of district BJP functionaries. It was a stampede-like situation,” said Pehelwan.
The BKU countered that the provocation came from BJP workers, who were camping a few feet away from the main stage. “They tried to disrupt our protest and were constantly provoking us by raising slogans against us,” said Jagtar Singh Bajwa, a member of the UP Gate protest site committee. “At one point, they ca-me close to the main stage and tried to take over the stage. This led to the scuffle,” he added.
Tikait said the party had been trying to malign them for the past three days. “They not only halted a few feet away from the protest site, but also used foul language and indulged in sloganeering against us,” he told TOI.
After the incident, BJP workers and office-bearers staged a protest in front of the Ghaziabad SSP’s office and demanded action.
“When the scuffle started, cops posted at the protest site rushed to bring the situation under control but by that time, several vehicles had been damaged. We have received complaints from BJP workers. Till now, no FIR has been lodged,” said Anshu Jain, circle officer, Indirapuram.