BJYM torches Sonia's effigy at Cong gate
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, July 28 2022:
In denunciation of leaders of Congress party allegedly making despairing comments against newly elected President Droupadi Murmu, a group of volunteers of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) Manipur unit led by its president M Barish set on fire effigy of Congress president Sonia Gandhi in front of the gate of Congress Bhawan, BT Road here on Thursday.
In addition to shouting various slogans against Congress party and Sonia Gandhi, the BJYM volunteers asserted that Congress cannot dare to become bullies as long as BJYM is in Manipur.
As BJYM volunteers started becoming aggressive, personnel of Manipur Rifles tasked with guarding the Congress Bhawan got into a brief scuffle with the volunteers.
However, the BJYM volunteers left the area after teams of Imphal West District Police and City Police Station started arriving at the location.
Speaking in this regard, Barish reasoned that the protest was carried out against die verbal insults made by Congress party leaders against President Droupadi Murmu.
He then said that BJYM will work to completely annihilate Congress from Manipur.
"We strongly condemn the disrespect shown to newly elected President Droupadi", Barish Sharma told reporters with reference to Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Choudhary referring to Murmu as 'Rashtrapatni'.
Adhir Ranjan, who is the leader of Congress in Lok Sabha, said on Thursday it was a "slip of tongue" and alleged that BJP was making a "mountain out of a molehill" over the issue.
On the other hand, members of BJP Manipur Pradesh set fire an effigy of Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, who allegedly mocked the new President Droupadi Murmu by calling her "Rashtrapatni", at Keishampat Junction here on Thursday.
A group of party workers led by BJP State president A Sharda trouped out of the party's office and converged at Keishampat Junction to set on fire the effigy, while shouting anti-Congress slogans.
The group further demanded Congress party and its president Sonia Gandhi to apologise for the remarks, while terming that the remarks were discriminatory against Scheduled Tribe community and the women in general.
Sharda told reporters "Congress has made a mockery of President Droupadi by calling her rastrapatni, instead of rastrapati which amounts to disrespect towards the women society".
"Congress along with it president Sonia Gandhi should tender apology for mocking the highest post of the country" Sharda added.
Manipur Congress spokesperson Kh Devabrata, when asked told PTI "Adhir Ranjan Choudhary has already said that the word Rastrapatni used by him was a slip of tongue.
It was a genuine mistake on his part but BJP is blowing it out of proportion".
Manipur Congress, he said, "strongly condemns" the burning of the effigy of Sonia Gandhi by BJP workers.
"BJP as the ruling party is indulging in activities of the opposition instead of focussing on running the government.
This is very unfortunate", he added.