Betul, Jul 19 (PTI) The police have registered a case of obscenity against eight Congress leaders after they allegedly burnt an effigy filled with condoms to protest graft in a local body in Madhya Pradesh’s Betul district, an official said on Wednesday.
The Congress leaders on Tuesday held a protest rally alleging corruption at the office of the Municipal Council in Sarni town, some 50 km from the district headquarters.
Sarni police station in-charge Ratnakar Hingve said a case has been registered under Indian Penal Code (IPC) section 294 (obscene act) against eight persons.
He said the police registered a first information report (FIR) on a complaint by a sanitary worker of Sarni Municipal Council. The complainant said condoms were filled in an effigy before burning it during the protest.
Block Congress president Kishor Chouhan, who is among the eight named in the FIR, said the effigy burning was not a part of the protest.
“I am not aware where the effigy suddenly came from. I don’t even know who brought it,” Chouhan said.
District Congress (rural) unit president Hemant Bagadre, who too is booked in the case, said that there was no effigy when the rally against corruption in the local body was being taken.
“Some people suddenly brought an effigy to tarnish the image of Congress. Action will be taken if any party worker is found to be involved in this act,” he said.
Ranjeet Singh, a representative of Amla BJP legislator Yogesh Pandagre, took a dig at the Congress, saying its leaders talk a lot about women’s respect in their speeches. “But this act of burning a condom-filled effigy in a public place has hurt women’s respect,” he added. PTI COR ADU NR
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.