The Himachal Pradesh unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has lodged a formal complaint with the Election Commission of India, alleging a violent attack by Congress workers on a political procession in which actor-politician Kangana Ranaut, former chief minister Jai Ram Thakur, and BJP candidate for assembly by-poll Ravi Thakur was participating.
In the complaint, Parmod Kumar Thakur, BJP’s Himachal Pradesh Office Secretary, accused the local Congress Party of orchestrating a premeditated plan to disrupt their rally, citing the district administration’s decision to grant permission for a Congress meeting adjacent to the BJP event as evidence of undue influence and bias.
Thakur said, “Notably, the aforementioned political procession was subjected to a life-threatening attack by Congress workers, putting the lives of the participants at grave risk and even leading to a grievous injury to one BJP worker. The assailant Congress workers tried to illegally restrain the political procession and even pelted stones thereupon.”
He added, “It is pertinent to mention here that the District Administration granted permission to the Congress for organising a political meeting adjacent to the place already scheduled to hold a political meeting of BJP at Kaza in Lahaul & Spiti under the undue influence of the State Government in utter violation of the Model Code of Conduct.”
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Kangana Ranaut, the BJP candidate for Mandi Lok Sabha seat, had to face a protest by locals at Kaza, the district headquarters of Lahaul-Spiti. The protesters showed her black flags and raised slogans, asking her to go back. It is learnt that the protest by local residents was scheduled but more people joined it, leading to the faceoff. Kangana had to wrap up her speech in a hurry.
The residents of Spiti, most of whom follow Buddhism, were expressing anger as the actor-turned-politician had shared an offensive social media post last year showing a photoshopped image of Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama with US President Joe Biden. She had apologised for sharing the post.
It is learnt that the protest by local residents was scheduled but more people joined it, leading to the faceoff. Kangana had to wrap up her speech in a hurry.