Hyderabad, Jan 7 (IANS): High tension prevailed in Nampally area here after BJP and Congress cadres clashed during a protest by the latter against BJP leader Ramesh Bidhuri’s unsavoury remark about Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi in the national Capital recently during a poll rally.
Protesting against the BJP leader’s “smooth roads like Priyanka Gandhi’s cheeks” remark, Youth Congress workers tried to lay siege to the BJP office.
The situation turned tense after BJP workers present there launched a counter-attack.
The protestors pelted stones on the BJP office while the BJP cadres attacked them with sticks. A few workers were injured in the clash.
Police personnel rushed to the spot and dispersed the clashing groups.
Later, BJP Yuva Morcha workers tried to lay siege to Congress headquarters Gandhi Bhavan, triggering more tension. They reached the Congress office in two groups to stage a protest. They removed barricades to advance towards Gandhi Bhavan and tore off flexis of Congress leaders erected at the entrance. Several BJP leaders joined the Yuva Morcha in the protest.
Protesting against the attack on the party office and raising slogans, the BJP workers sat on the road, throwing traffic out of gear.
Police swung into action, resorted to baton charge and arrested scores of protestors. They were whisked away in police vehicles.
As the offices of both parties are located not far from each other, the police had a tough time in controlling the cadres from both sides.
Police sealed the routes leading to the BJP office.
Meanwhile, Union Minister for Coal and Mines and state BJP president G. Kishan Reddy has condemned the attack on the BJP office. He warned that if the Congress party does not desist from such actions, this would have serious consequences.
Kishan Reddy alleged that the Congress cadres attacked the BJP office in the presence of police. He said that there is no room for violence in a democracy.
Alleging that the police acted with bias, he asked the Hyderabad Police Commissioner how would he justify the police action.