Madhya Pradesh: An FIR has been registered against two persons for hitting and pulling the hair of Rajgarh Deputy Collector Priya Verma during a demonstration held by BJP workers in support of CAA in Rajgarh on Sunday. One accused arrested in this case.
The rally was organised by the BJP. The viral video show collector Nidhi Nivedita slapping a man and additional collector Priya Verma taking on some men who were part of the crowd.
Madhya Pradesh: FIR registered against two persons for hitting and pulling hair of Rajgarh Deputy Collector Priya Verma during a demonstration held by BJP workers in support of #CAA in Rajgarh yesterday. One accused arrested. https://t.co/jqGhpBcGDJ
— ANI (@ANI) January 20, 2020
Additional Collector Verma told PTI on Sunday night that some men from the crowd misbehaved with herself and the collector.
राजगढ़ में नागरिकता कानून के समर्थन में निकली रैली में कलेक्टर ने जड़ दिये बीजेपी कार्यकर्ता पर थप्पड़! @ndtvindia @shailendranrb @ajaiksaran #UPBJYMSUPPORTSCAA #CAA_NRCProtests #CAA2019 pic.twitter.com/ZlSDIakesv
— Anurag Dwary (@Anurag_Dwary) January 19, 2020
She denied that they resorted to high-handed behaviour, as alleged by the Opposition party. “Prohibitory orders under section 144 of the CrPC are in place in the district. While we were doing our duty, a crowd came from the other side and misbehaved with us,” she said.
Verma said a man pulled her hair from back while another kicked her in the waist. “All that (she taking on some men) happened after it. Despite our requests to the protesters to sit down, they did not pay any heed,” she claimed.
Verma denied that police resorted to cane charge to disperse the crowd.
#WATCH Madhya Pradesh: Rajgarh Collector Nivedita prevented BJP workers from holding a demonstration in support of #CAA, in Rajgarh. (19.01.2020) pic.twitter.com/QGarsE5APy
— ANI (@ANI) January 20, 2020
However, the BJP hit out at the two bureaucrats and claimed ‘Hitlerism’ would not be tolerated in Madhya Pradesh. Reacting to the incident, former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said it was the “black letter day” in democracy.
“Collector madam, which law book you have read empowers you to beat up and drag citizens protesting peacefully,” Chouhan said in a tweet.
He further tweeted that the Congress-led government should hear it clear and loud that “Hitlerism with people of MP would not be tolerated at any cost”.
The Kamal Nath government has opposed the CAA passed by Parliament recently. CAA provides for granting citizenship for Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians, who had migrated to India before December 31, 2014.
