Khati community protests over 'lack of representation' in BJP's state executive committee

Indore, Oct 28 (PTI) Khati community members on Tuesday staged a strident protest at the BJP office here alleging lack of representation to the community in the new executive committees of the ruling party in Madhya Pradesh and its city unit in Indore.

The protesters alleged that the BJP was neglecting the community by not giving proper representation to its leaders in its organisation, an accusation denied by the ruling party.

Eyewitnesses reported that protesters gathered in front of the local BJP office and burned an effigy of the party's city unit president Sumit Mishra.

Amid sloganeering, a violent protester blackened Mishra's photo on a banner outside the BJP office and later tore it down, they said.

According to the eyewitnesses, the protesters then entered the BJP office and also blackened Mishra's nameplate.

Talking to reporters, Khati community leader Pawan Chaudhary said, "The BJP has been ignoring our community. Not a single leader from the community has been included in the BJP's recently announced state executive and city executive committees. The BJP will have to face the consequences of this in the next assembly elections." Rejecting Chaudhary's allegations, state BJP spokesperson Alok Dubey said, "The BJP has always given proper representation to the Khati community." He claimed that one of the individuals who carried out the violent protest at the local BJP office is associated with the Congress.

State Congress president Jitu Patwari belongs to the Khati community and Indore is his hometown.

State Congress spokesperson Neelabh Shukla described the protest at the BJP office as a result of internal conflict within the ruling party and said, "It shows that the BJP has now become the Bharatiya Jhagda (quarrel) Party." PTI HWP MAS NP