Panaji: A fracas broke out between the BJP and Congress workers when the former were protesting against Congress’ attack on the central government and the prime minister.
Sources from the Congress said that the Congress workers had offered a bouquet of flowers and samosas to the protesting BJP workers. But the BJP did not take the gesture in its true spirit. BJP State President Vinay Tendulkar got furious and flung the ‘thali of samosas’, which was offered to him, at a Congress worker. Thereafter, the bouquet of flowers which was presented was also thrown away,” Pratima Coutinho, state Congress women’s wing President said in her FIR at the Panaji police station.
Vinay Tendulkar has alleged that Congress workers assaulted and flung objects at his party workers.
The FIR filed by Pratima Coutinho against unnamed BJP workers has been registered under sections 143 (unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting), 323 (causing hurt), 504 (breach of peace), 509 (outraging modesty of women) and 354 (criminal assault) of the Indian Penal Code.
In a counter FIR, BJP worker Kavita Kandolkar has alleged that Congress workers flung bottles, ‘samosas’ and wood pieces at the BJP workers in a bid to provoke and assault them.
“As part of our nationwide campaign, we were peacefully protesting against the attack by the Congress on our prime minister and the central government over the Rafale issue. It was their workers who started attacking us. Coutinho even flung the bouquet at our workers in a bid to provoke them”, Tendulkar told reporters at a press conference held at the state BJP headquarters.
