Politics amid coronavirus: BJP and Congress workers ignore lockdown norms, fight over ration distribution in Jaipur

Politics amid coronavirus: BJP and Congress workers ignore lockdown norms, fight over ration distribution in Jaipur

Sangeeta Pranvendra Updated: Sunday, April 12, 2020, 02:12 AM IST
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Flouting all lockdown norms, BJP and Congress workers clashed over ration distribution in Jaipur. The two groups wanted preference to be given to areas with their voter base.

The altercation escalated to fisticuffs and several of them were injured.

In Ajmer too BJP leaders gathered at the collectorate and demanded that the rations be distributed through local councillors and workers rather than the government teams. The rations that political workers are clashing over are government distributed rations for the needy and destitute.

The incident took place in Mansarovar area of Jaipur that falls under the Sanganer constituency on Friday. Supporters of sitting BJP MLA Ashok Lahoty clashed with supporters of Pushpendra Bhardwaj who was the Congress candidate. The workers of both parties attacked each other and several of them were injured. Adding to the chaos both Lahoty and Bhardwaj also reached the Shipra Path police station. Saturday incident adds yet another controversy associated with Sanganer MLA Ashok Lahoty.

In Ajmer BJP leaders, municipal councillors and workers marched to the Collectorate demanding to meet the district collector. The large crowd was stopped by the Ajmer SP. They got into an altercation with SP Kunwar Rashtradeep who stressed on the importance of the lockdown and the need for social distancing and dispersed them.

The BJP leaders wanted that rations should be distributed through the municipal ward councillors. The demand has political hues as elections to Ajmer Municipal Corporations are overdue and expected to be held after the lockdown ends.

Ever since counting began through EVM, leaders can easily ascertain their voter base. This has increased the tendency to pamper and cater to their vote base.

In the present crisis, when people are largely dependent on government help for rations and food, there is an urgency to not just consolidate one’s own vote base, but also poach the opposing part’s votes. With rations being distributed by government officials there are increasing incidents of clashes, especially in areas where there are BJP MLAs or councillors, as the state has a Congress government. (edited)

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