With hundreds of BJP workers shouting slogans at the gate and trying to enter, the Parliament’s security machinery pulled out all resources at its command and an unsavoury situation was averted. Senior officers rushed to the spot as CRPF personnel posted within premises trained their weapons on BJP activists.
Delhi Police registered a case of rioting and damage to public property at Parliament Street police station.
Special Commissioner of Police (Law & Order) Dharmender Kumar said all those who indulged in violence and broke the security cordon were being identified. “We have video recordings and penal action will follow,” he added.
Several thousands of workers of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), the youth wing of the BJP, were lathi-charged at Jantar Mantar while they were leading a protest towards the Parliament against corruption and black money.
At least 40 BJP workers were injured, with seven reportedly critical. Those hurt were rushed to Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, where senior BJP leaders — including LK Advani, Arun Jaitley and Nitin Gadkari — visited them later in the evening. Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj, senior party leader Anant Kumar, Shahnawaz Husain, Rajya Sabha MP Venkaiah Naidu, and Delhi BJP chief Vijendra Gupta also met the injured. Naidu to reporters that many were injured in the clash, with several suffering leg fractures.
Earlier, a few party workers managed to breach security cordons and reached Patel Chowk roundabout, however, police personnel positioned there dispersed them.
When the police failed to deter charged up BJP workers proceeding further with water cannon after they breached first layer of barricading at Sansad Marg, security personnel also lobbed teargas shells.
Later, police had to wield baton to disperse irrepressible crowd.
A few policemen were also got injured as the protesters pelted stones at police party. BJYM president and BJP MP Anurag Thakur who was leading the protest march against corruption and black money claimed police party picked up several party workers and beat them up in the Parliament Street Police Station.
“Nearly 15 party workers are injured in the lathicharge have been sent to the hospital so far. It is totally injustice that police beat people who protest peacefully. They (police) pick them, bring in the police station and then beat them mercilessly. We are not allowed to speak in the Parliament now the Government is trying to suppress our voice on the streets also,” said Thakur.
In the afternoon, nearly 25, 000 members of BJP’s youth morcha left from Ramlila Maidan for ‘Sansad Gherao’ though large number of them could not reach Jantar Mantar as they were stopped by the police in between.
Special CP Kumar said BJP workers violated the written undertaking that would abide by the Supreme Court’s directions to maintain peace and obey lawful directions of the police. Kumar said BJYM activists had sought permission to hold a rally at Ramlila Maidan and thereafter hold a protest march to Parliament Street in the afternoon. Permission was granted to them only after they agreed to abide for a peaceful protest.
However, despite the written undertaking and assurances given by their leaders during the meetings held with police, the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) activists became violent on reaching Parliament Street, damaged the stage erected for speeches, climbed on to the police barricades and indulged in heavy stone pelting which resulted in injuries to at least 23 police personnel. Two policemen sustained grievous injuries, Kumar said.
Delhi Police was forced to use water cannon and 15 tear gas shells were lobbed to disperse the crowd that turned violent.
Kumar said, the police exercised maximum restraint and tried to persuade them to disperse for about 45 minutes. Kumar denied that a lathi charge was ordered. However, when heavy stone pelting started, a case of rioting and damage to public property has been registered vide FIR No. 146/2011 at Police Station Parliament Street. Around 38 activists of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha have reported at RML Hospital for minor injuries received during the melee at the time of dispersal, Kumar added.
The Daily Pioneer August 10, 2011, New Delhi (Reporters : Pramod Kumar Singh/ Parvaiz Sultan)
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