A video went viral on various social media platforms on May 5, wherein some angry locals, mostly women, were seen sloganeering in front of a Congress delegation that arrived in the riot-hit area of Khargone in Madhya Pradesh on Thursday. The Congress delegation, consisting of its 5 MLAs and some other leaders, was later chased away by the angry locals that accused the party of politicising the incident and defaming Khargone.
As per reports, the locals raised objections to the delegation visiting them only after more than 20 days since the violence. They expressed unhappiness with Congress’s stand on the riots issue and accused the Congress leaders of visiting the area with some other motive.
#WATCH | Madhya Pradesh: A Congress delegation, that had visited the violence-hit Mali Mohalla area of Khargone, faced protest by the locals there. The locals raised their objection to the delegation visiting them only after more than 20 days since the violence. pic.twitter.com/0AmFduuunZ
— ANI MP/CG/Rajasthan (@ANI_MP_CG_RJ) May 5, 2022
Locals shout ‘Digvijaya Singh Murdabad’ slogans
As per reports, some of the locals also shouted ‘Digvijaya Singh Murdabad’ slogans. The locals were reportedly miffed over the Congress leader’s statement wherein he had accused the Bharatiya Janata Party members of allegedly hiring poor Muslim boys and paying them to throw stones at the Hindu processions. He said that he has received a few unverified complaints which note that the attacks on the Hindu processions are allegedly sponsored by the BJP.
Locals raised slogans against former chief minister Digvijaya Singh before Congress leaders during their visit to violence hit localities in Khargone town of Madhya Pradesh on Thursday. pic.twitter.com/bZmSOZXfMq
— Free Press Journal (@fpjindia) May 5, 2022
“I have received a few complaints, which I have not verified yet, but as per these complaints, some people from BJP themselves pay poor Muslim boys to throw stones. I will check the facts and will raise the issue then”, Digvijaya Singh was quoted at Nemmuch, Madhya Pradesh.
Khargone violence
On April 10, a Ram Navami procession that began in the Talab Chowk area of Khargone was abandoned midway after it came under a volley of stones. Riots escalated as several vehicles were set on fire injuring more than 24 people, including six police personnel.
The day after the riots, the Khargone administration took strict action against the miscreants and bulldozed their illegally constructed properties. Five JCB machines were deployed for the task. Also, the administration arrested close to 77 people in the case.
Khargone was one of the several places that witnessed stone-pelting, arson and violence during last month’s Ram Navami celebrations where Hindu processions were attacked by Muslims.
