City Congress Chief beaten up while removing Sadbhavana banners

Rajkot, 23 December 2011

Banners ahead of Sadbhavana fast have sparked a controversy again, this time in Rajkot.

Rajkot city Congress leaders today morning objected the banners of Sadbhavana fast at a traffic island near racecource citing reason that the banners were blocking a view of Rajiv Gandhi’s statue.

In the morning, city Congress President Jashwant Bhatti called city BJP President Bhanderi over a phone call and told him that Rajiv Gandhi was not only Congress’s leader but the nation’s leader and the banners around his statue must be removed.

Bhatti and other Congress workers rushed to a traffic island and removed BJP banners of Sadbhavana fast.

Suddenly former Mayor of Rajkot city Uday Kangad arrived reportedly with revolver at the venue and after initial verbal argument be attacked Jashwant Bhatti.

Bhatti said his glasses were broken and kurta was torn by Kangad. He said, this all happened in presence of TV media, as city unit of Congress had called media persons before removing the banners.

Kangad left the place before Bhatti could call Congress workers to rush to the place to rescue him.

Rajkot Congress workers under the leadership of local MP Kunvarji Bavalia later went to city Police Commissioner office and demanded action against Kangad.

City Congress leader Indranil Rajyaguru threatened that his party workers would beat city BJP President Bhanderi in reply to an attack on Bhatti.

Meanwhile city BJP unit said the banner that was removed was having Babasaheb Ambedkar’s banner along with Modi and other leaders. Thus the city Congress has insulted Shri Ambedkar.

Meanwhile Rajkot Police has arrested Uday Kangad and Arvind Raiyani.

BJP workers have filed counter complaint against Congress President Bhatti for damages to a banner of Ambedkar and threatening former Mayor.

Late in the evening, Congress workers started burning BJP banners at major places in the city.