CLASH BETWEEN BJP AND CONGRESS

CLASH BETWEEN BJP AND CONGRESS

24-JULY-ENG 3

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

PATNA-------------------------The situation in Patna, the capital of Bihar, turned tense on Wednesday afternoon when workers from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress came face-to-face. A major confrontation erupted between supporters of both parties outside the Congress state headquarters at Sadaqat Ashram, involving the use of sticks, batons, and brickbats. Several workers from both sides were reportedly injured in this violent clash.

The incident unfolded against the backdrop of a nationwide agitation called by the BJP in opposition to the protests held by the Congress in Delhi regarding the NEET paper leak case and demands for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. As part of this campaign, a protest march led by State BJP President Sanjay Sarawagi was taken out in Patna, moving from Kurji Hospital towards the Congress headquarters at Sadaqat Ashram.

BJP leaders allege that when their march reached Sadaqat Ashram, a large number of Congress workers were already present there armed with sticks and batons, and they launched an attack. The BJP claims that over 30 of its workers and leaders were injured in the incident. The injured include Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) members Jitendra Singh, Upendra Singh, and Balram Mandal, among others; they have been admitted to the hospital for treatment. Preparations are also underway to refer the critically injured to PMCH.

On the other hand, the Congress has categorically denied these allegations, claiming that BJP workers launched a premeditated attack on the Congress office and were the first to start pelting stones. Both parties are accusing each other of provocation and inciting violence. The BJP has also initiated the process of filing an FIR against Congress workers regarding the incident.

By around 2:15 PM on Wednesday, the area outside Sadaqat Ashram had turned into a battlefield. Amidst the chaos and stone-pelting that lasted for hours, the local police intervened in an attempt to bring the situation under control. In view of the violent clash, a heavy police force was deployed at the scene to prevent the situation from escalating further. What began as a verbal altercation quickly spiraled into physical violence, creating an atmosphere of tension in the capital's political landscape.