Indore (Madhya Pradesh): In what is dubbed as the ëbiggest protest by the opposition party in Indore' after Assembly election, Congress leaders and workers staged a demonstration against the BJP-ruled Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC), against fake bill and other scams and recent tax hikes. The protest, which saw over 2k Congress workers and women participating, culminated in a standoff with the police, who responded with water cannons and lathicharge.
The protest was sparked by recent increases in property and water tax as well as allegations of a scam involving fake bills that stumbled out of drainage department of IMC in April.
Led by State Congress president Jitu Patwari, along with senior leader Arun Yadav, MP Kuldeep Indora and former minister Sajjan Verma, the protest aimed at drawing attention to issues plaguing the IMC.
Congress leaders and workers assembled approximately 500 metres from the main entrance of IMC headquarters, where they delivered speeches for nearly two hours, criticising corporation's actions.
As tensions escalated, Congress workers, brandishing flags, advanced towards the main entrance of the IMC, only to be met with police barricades positioned 50 metres ahead. The confrontation intensified as some protesters attempted to climb barricades, prompting the police to deploy water cannons.
Despite initial hesitation, the protesters, led by their leaders, continued their advances, resulting in the police resorting to lathicharge. Around 10 workers were injured following police action. Some media personnel also sustained injuries. Owing to police action, Congress leaders concluded the protest and submitted a memorandum to the ADM.
Test of unity amid internal strife
The protest held significant implications for the Congress party, which has been grappling with internal dissent and indiscipline in recent days. The leaders endeavoured to project a united front, mobilising a diverse assembly of supporters, including candidates from the assembly elections and representatives from the Seva Dal and Youth Congress.
However, the extended duration of speeches led to some participants, particularly women, leaving the protest prematurely. Efforts to maintain order were visible, with key figures like Pintu Joshi from the Youth Congress and others actively engaging in crowd management.
In the aftermath of the protest, Congress leaders expressed their grievances over selective investigation of corruption allegations, claiming that BJP leaders implicated in the scams were being overlooked. Former minister Sajjan Singh Verma stated that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had initiated investigations at the residences of implicated officials and suggested that further probes might extend to the residences of Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargav and former mayors.
Rs 2K cr scams in IMC: Patwari
Patwari said, 'There are scams of Rs 2k crore in IMC and if proper investigation is done then mayor-in-council (MiC) members will land in jail. The Congress will lodge complaint about the scams with Lokayukta and the CBI.' The Congress will not step back until corrupt people go behind bars, he added. The Congress chief said that people voted to power in IMC for five times in a row but the saffron party deceived the public and committed the scam of Rs 2k crore.
