NEW DELHI: Bharatiya Janata Party MP Manoj Tiwari was injured while protesting against the ban on public celebrations of Chhath puja, near Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence on Tuesday. He was rushed to Safdarjung Hospital’s emergency wing and was discharged later in the evening.
Tiwari was leading a group of party leaders including Delhi BJP chief Adesh Gupta, demanding revoking of the ban on the Chhath festivities. The party members raised anti-Kejriwal slogans for not allowing public celebrations asking for the decision to be reviewed.
The Delhi Police barricaded the CM’s residence and fired water cannons to disperse the crowd. One of these cannons hit Tiwari while he was trying to jump over the barricade following which he fell and got injured. Several other members were also injured during.
Senior party leaders said that while Kejriwal has allowed reopening of malls, markets, then why allowing chhat festivities is being banned. Tiwari said that sentiments of around 80 lakh Purvanchalis must be kept into consideration.
“We are meeting chhath organising committees separately to know about their preparedness. The Kejriwal government is opposed to this festival which is a symbol of cleanliness, which makes it clear that they are rather against the culture,” he said.
Gupta calling the ban a “Tughlaqi farman” said this decision of the government is an attack on the religious feelings of the Purvanchalis.
BJP not happy with DDMA orders on ban
Delhi BJP leaders and workers staged a protest near Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence against the ban on celebration of Chhath festival in the national capital.
Delhi BJP president Adesh Gupta and others condemned Kejriwal-led government for the ban. Gupta asserted that Chhath would be celebrated grandly and the BJP-ruled municipal corporations would make arrangements for it.
Issue guidelines for Chhath, says Sisodia
Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia urged the Centre to issue guidelines for the Chhath festival as soon as possible after consulting health experts.
In a letter to Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, Sisodia said, “People from Purvanchal celebrate this festival with deep faith and sacrifice. This year too, people are eagerly awaiting to celebrate the festival.”