New Delhi: A political protest in Delhi turned tense after a man allegedly raised slogans in support of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and was beaten by people at the spot.
A video of the incident has surfaced online, showing the man being surrounded and assaulted after raising the slogans. Reports say his clothes were also torn during the confrontation.
The incident took place during opposition parties protests over the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The protesters have been demanding action on their concerns over the revision exercise and have also raised questions about Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
According to reports, the man was at the protest site when he began shouting pro Modi slogans. Some people in the crowd objected, leading to an argument that soon turned physical. Police intervened as the situation escalated.
The man was reportedly taken into custody by police and later released.
The incident has since led to political accusations. BJP leaders and supporters have alleged that Congress workers were involved in the assault. However, the available reports do not conclusively establish the political identity of everyone involved in the attack.
The clash comes as tensions remain high around the opposition protests in Delhi. Police have also registered cases linked to alleged clashes and obstruction of police personnel during the demonstrations. Reports have named Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in FIRs related to the wider protest, although that is separate from establishing who assaulted the man seen in the video.
The opposition has maintained that its protests are aimed at raising concerns over the SIR exercise and the functioning of the Election Commission. The poll panel has defended the process and said decisions on the SIR were taken unanimously by its three member commission.
The latest incident has added another controversy to the protests, with the viral video sparking a wider debate over political slogans, freedom of expression and violence at public demonstrations.
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