Indira’s statue vandalised, Cong protest today

An incident of vandalisation of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s statue in Khatauli town of Muzaffarnagar early this week has triggered a blame game between the Congress and the BJP with the former accusing the saffron brigade of resorting to such tactics to foment communal trouble and divert attention from failures of the BJP led government in Uttar Pradesh.

“The BJP and its affiliate bodies are resorting to such tactics to divert attention from failures of the BJP led government. The Congress will hold protests against such incidents,” said Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) minority department chairman Siraj Mehandi.

UPCC president Raj Babbar is rushing to Khatauli to lead a demonstration of partymen there on Saturday.

“We understand anti-social elements have vandalized the statue on Wednesday night to disturb communal harmony. City Congress Committee Khatauli (Muzaffarnagar) president Babu Ram Kataria has lodged a report at Khatauli police station,” said Muzaffarnagar District Congress Committee (DCC) president Naim Ullah alias Nanu Mian.

“As UP minister for cooperatives senior party leader Arun Kumar Singh ‘Munna’ had unveiled the statue installed in Khatauli in 1985. District administration has failed to take any action in this regard. A statue of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi too had been damaged in Mirzapur early in June and the party had held statewide protests,” he said.

UPCC spokesman Krishnakant Pandey also said the incident was an obvious fallout of the saffron brigade’s attempt to change history.

“Those behind the incident however forgot to release that former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had called Indira Gandhi as Durga. People are agitated against the act of vandalisation of her statue by an organisations associated with the RSS,” said Pandey.

UP minister Suresh Rana (who represents nearby Thana Bhavan assembly seat and is an accused in Muzaffarnagar riots) said an inquiry would be conducted into the incident. “This is a serious issue and an inquiry will be conducted into the incident,” he said.

The Congress’ accusations blaming the BJP and affiliate bodies for the incident however reflect poorly on the grand old party, he said.

“BJP led government’s tremendous work for the people in 100 days in the state and chief minister Yogi Adityanath’s popularity has unnerved the Congress that earlier tried to flare up the caste clashes in Saharanpur,” said Rana.

We understand antisocial elements have vandalized the statue on Wednesday night to disturb communal harmony. City Cong Committee Khatauli president Babu Ram Kataria has lodged a report at Khatauli police station NAIM ULLAH, DCC president