“Question of anybody from among his supporters passing derogatory remarks is a farfetched thought and smacks of ulterior motives deliberately floated by agent provocateurs,” he said. Lucky further said that the incident was totally staged to incite Congress workers and disrupt the campaign which is getting good response from the Dalits as they are coming in huge numbers to support the party.
“Bansal’s padyatras are a success because of its peaceful concept and support-generation mechanism. This very fabric was crudely sought to be consigned to flames on Tuesday by the BSP workers,” he added. Harphool Chand Kalyan, Congress councillor and senior deputy mayor, said instead of concentrating on its campaign, it is a disgrace that BSP workers were indulging in such kind of unruly behaviour.
Lucky further said, “I went to the local police station to report the matter of I being kept in captivity and that my life was in danger. I was hounded by the BSP workers, who again resorted to goondaism and hooliganism right under the nose of law and enforcing agencies.”
Taking note of Tuesday’s incident of violence, where youth president of Congress HS Lucky was accused of giving casteist remarks, RK Rao, deputy commissioner, who has the charge of returning officer for conduct of polls in the city, has asked for a detailed report of the incident from UT SSP and SDM (east) on Wednesday.
Sources in UT police confirmed that initial inquiry revealed there were no casteist remarks. The inquiry is however yet to be completed. “Statements that have been recorded till now and a few cops who were with the Padyatra or monitoring it, show that no such thing had happened. The inquiry is on and it is too early to draw a conclusion. The inquiry report would be submitted within two or three days,” a senior official of UT police told TOI.
“I have asked for detailed report from both the SSP and SDM. On basis of the report, the next course of action would be decided,” RK Rao, deputy commissioner-cum-returning officer, told TOI. According to a senior official of UT administration, the incident occurred when the Padyatra was on. According to guidelines, for the Padyatra, there is no need for videography. Videography is required for the rally.
But the party had to intimate the police about the Padyatra, which it seems, it didn’t, leading to a law and order situation. “We have started our inquiry, which is about the circumstances that led to the criminal incident there (in Mauli Jagran),” UT SSP Sudhanshu Sekher Srivastava said.
