Police lathicharge BJP’s youth wing activists during protest over law and order situation in UP

Mangalore Today News Network

 Lucknow, June 30, 2014:  Activists of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, youth wing of BJP, on Monday clashed with police during their protest over law and order situation of Uttar Pradesh in front of state Assembly while it was in session, forcing cops to lathicharge and use teargas shells.

In support of their 11-point charter of demands and to protest against “poor” law and order situation, increasing crime against women, power cuts, problems of youths and students, the BJYM workers attempted to gherao the state Assembly this afternoon, BJP spokesman Manish Shukla said.

Police used barricades to prevent the BJYM activists from marching towards the Assembly building, but the protesters attempted to force their way, police sources said.

To control the situation, police resorted to lathicharge and fired teargas shells, they said. A few persons, including policemen, were reportedly injured. Shukla said nearly 50 BJYM activists were injured in the incident.

Another BJP spokesman Vijay Bahadur Pathak alleged that police acted in a “barbaric” manner against BJYM activists, who were  protesting as part of a series of agitations led by the BJP.

He said BJP had been protesting peacefully inside and outside the Vidhan Sabha to attract the attention of the government.

If the government would not act on resolving the problems of the people, opposition would protest, he said. Pathak claimed several BJYM workers were injured in the police action.

BJP MLAs, meanwhile, raised the issue in the Assembly and condemned police action