The ruling Congress in Chhattisgarh on Saturday blamed the BJP for the violence in Kawardha town of the State early this week and said the party wants to do the politics of communalism as it has “run out of issues”. Addressing a press conference here, three senior Ministers of State, however, admitted a “minor lapse” on part of the local administration to check the entry of a large number of people in Kawardha from outside ahead of the violence despite section 144 of the CrPC was imposed.

On Tuesday, violence occurred in Kawardha during a rally organised by right-wing outfits in protest against a clash between the people belonging to two communities over the removal of religious flags from a thoroughfare in the town on October 3, causing destruction of properties. A curfew was imposed following the violence.