Datia (Madhya Pradesh), July 11 (IANS) Former Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra on Saturday appealed to his supporters to respect the BJP’s decision on the Datia Assembly bye-election candidate and refrain from violence, saying roads should not be blocked and protests must remain peaceful. His appeal came hours after eight police personnel were injured as BJP workers clashed with cops and blocked the Gwalior-Jhansi highway.

“I had stated this in detail yesterday, and I reiterate today that this is the party’s decision,” Mishra told IANS, a day after the BJP named Ashutosh Tiwari as its candidate for the July 30 bypoll, overlooking the senior leader.

His appeal came hours after eight police personnel, including Datia Superintendent of Police, Mayur Khandelwal and Bhander Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDOP), were injured when BJP workers protesting the party’s choice of candidate clashed with police and pelted stones in the early hours of Saturday.

The violence followed a prolonged blockade on the Gwalior-Jhansi highway by supporters demanding that Mishra be fielded for the bye-election.

Datia Collector Swapnil Wankhede said the administration had been trying to persuade protesters to end the blockade, which began on Friday evening, before the situation turned violent.

“There was a traffic jam from around 5.30 p.m. on Friday. Buses, trucks and even an ambulance were stranded. We tried to convince the protesters, but as soon as we reached the spot, stones were pelted at us. We then used tear gas to disperse the crowd. There was no lathi-charge,” Wankhede told reporters.

He said eight police personnel, including the SP and the Bhander SDOP, were injured in the stone-pelting and six of them were admitted to hospital.

Superintendent of Police Mayur Khandelwal told IANS that the situation was now under control.

“Nearly 3,000 people tried to disturb the atmosphere in Datia. They blocked roads and disrupted normal movement. The traffic jam has been cleared and adequate police force has been deployed to maintain law and order,” he said.

Officials said several vehicles were damaged during the violence. A police vehicle was overturned, the SDOP’s vehicle was damaged and the windows of a few trucks were broken in the stone-pelting.

Heavy police deployment has been made around the BJP office and other sensitive areas of the town to prevent any fresh incident of violence.

Making a fresh appeal to party workers, Mishra said, “From the visuals and videos I have seen, I request everyone not to indulge in acts such as pouring petrol or arson. As I said yesterday, roads must not be blocked. There are proper ways to express one’s views. This is not the way to express sentiments.”

The BJP’s decision to deny a ticket to Mishra has triggered resentment among a section of party workers. Several office-bearers, including Datia district BJP president Raghuveer Saran Kushwah, have resigned in protest against the party’s decision. Polling for the Datia Assembly bye-election will be held on July 30.

–IANS

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