Haridwar mayor hurt as BJP factions clash

FIGHT STARTED WHEN A CIVIC BODY TEAM HEADED BY THE MAYOR STARTED DEMOLITION AT MINISTER’S ASHRAM

Haridwar mayor Manoj Garg was rushed to hospital with injuries as supporters of two cabinet ministers in the Trivendra Rawat government in Uttarakhand, Satpal Maharaj and Madah Kaushik, came to blows over removing encroachments outside Maharaj’s Prem Nagar ashram.

Police said the scuffle started when a team of the municipal corporation headed by the mayor started demolition at the ashram.

Garg stated that illegal structures that had sprung up in the ashram with the full knowledge of Satpal Maharaj were the cause of the water-logging in the adjoining Khanna Nagar, where Madan Kaushik, minister for urban development, stays. Garg is believed to be a supporter of Kaushik.

The mayor has been under fire from BJP workers for the water-logging. Incessant rains on Wednesday led to more water logging, which prompted Thursday’s attempted demolition.

Roots of the incident may be traced back several years to September 2012.

Kaushik, then a BJP MLA, had protested outside the Prem Nagar ashram against the connecting of sewer pipes of the ashram with that of Khanna Nagar colony.

At that time Maharaj was in Congress.

Maharaj’s supporters are said to have attacked the demolition crew with sticks, at which Kaushik’s supporters retaliated, resulting in a free-for-all.

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