Ex-CM extends support to MLA daughter against alleged persecution of party workers
Sunday, 23 October 2022 | PNS | HARIDWAR
Extending his support to his daughter and Haridwar Rural MLA Anupama Rawat in her protest, former chief minister and senior Congress leader Harish Rawat slept in the compound of the Bahadrabad police station on Friday night and began Saturday with stretching exercises at the police station. A short video of him stretching in the morning elicited considerable attention on social media even though the Congress party has remained detached from the protest as evidenced from the absence of its leaders barring leader of opposition Yashpal Arya and the lack of statements coming from the party on the issue.
Congress MLA Anupama Rawat has been protesting at Bahadarabad police station since Thursday against the alleged fake cases lodged by the police against party workers in her constituency. Accusing the police of acting under the pressure of Bharatiya Janata Party leaders, the MLA is demanding withdrawal of the cases. On Friday evening, former CM Harish Rawat also extended his support to the protest and sat on dharna during the night.
Along with some local Congress workers, the former chief minister sat on dharna during the night while stating that he will continue his protest till the cases against the party workers are withdrawn. He said that the ruling party is harassing the Congress workers. Rawat said that the chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami had also been informed about the matter and it was expected that the matter would be resolved with his intervention, but it did not happen. He has also questioned the working style of the police. Since the MLA began her protest, leader of opposition Yashpal Arya and then her father Harish Rawat extended their support to the protest.
Meanwhile, police circle officer (Sadar) Bahadur Singh Chauhan said that anyone can protest in a democratic manner. Action will be taken against the person responsible in case government work is obstructed, he added.
