RAIPUR: Chhattisgarh’s ruling Congress legislator's call for a "Bihar model protest" against the Agniveer scheme, has sparked a controversy with the opposition party slamming the statement and demanding derecognition of Congress for such a call for violence.
Congress legislator from Bijapur Vikram Mandavi’s statement on the Agniveer scheme came during the state-wide demonstration- ‘Satyagrah’ on Monday in Bijapur. Addressing the people, Mandavi said, “The way youths protested violently in Bihar, should be replicated in other parts of the country as well. We stand against the Angiveer scheme and support the youths. We will go out on the streets for demonstration.”
The video of Mandavi went all over social media and the opposition BJP strongly condemned his statement.
Reacting sharply to Mandavi’s statement supporting violence, leader of the opposition Dharamlal Kaushik said, “I would want to ask chief minister Bhupesh Baghel if this is the Satyagrah of Congress? Is this how the Congress workers are trained? Congress should be held responsible for provocation of violent protest and the party should compensate for the losses incurred.”
“Mandavi is promoting burning trains and damaging national and public property, isn’t he giving inspiration to the youths to go violent even more?” asked Kaushik.
This is not the character of a national party and such a statement comes from its legislator, hence, he should be derecognized.
BJP leaders said that it was very unfortunate that such a statement is being made in a peaceful state like Chhattisgarh. They said the way Congress and its party workers carried out the protest shows that the grand old party just wasn't to politicise everything and they don't have any sympathy towards the youth or their cause.
Congress spokesperson RP Singh defended saying that Mandavi’s statement is being misunderstood and given a wrong turn while the intention of Congress was to only register protest against Agniveer Scheme.
"Everyone knows that the intensified protests against the scheme was done mainly in the states from which a major chunk of population join Army. Mandavi’s statement is not at all provocative but simply protesting in nature,” Singh said .
