A controversy has erupted in Madhya Pradesh over one of the proposed options for the night stay of Congress MP Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra when it enters Indore later this month.
The venue at the centre of the row is the Khalsa Stadium in Indore city. The presence of Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Kamal Nath at a Sikh function on Guru Nanak Jayanti (November 8) at the Khalsa Stadium had led to a controversy with Ragi Manpreet Singh Kanpuri lashing out at the organisers for inviting him.
A group of people from the Sikh community, led by a local BJP leader, had later “purified” the venue with holy water.
Indore city Congress president Vinay Bakliwal on Tuesday said the cross-country foot march led by Gandhi will reach here on November 27 or 28 and the yatris will have a night halt.
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The places being considered as options for the overnight stay of yatris include the Khalsa Stadium beside the Vaishnav Stadium and the Chimanbagh Sports Ground, he said.
Bakliwal said Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and party General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi may participate in the yatra in or around Indore.
Asked about the overnight stay of the participants at the Khalsa Stadium, Congress Rajya Sabha MP and head of the yatra's organizing committee, Digvijaya Singh, said, "It is not me or my party that decides the route of the journey and the place of rest. This work is done by Rahul Gandhi's security team which includes the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF)."
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On the other hand, local BJP leader Sumit Mishra warned if Kamal Nath reaches the Khalsa Stadium with the Bharat Jodo Yatra, he will be shown black flags.
After the controversy on the Guru Nanak Jayanti, Nath should stay away from the Khalsa Stadium, he said.
Charanjit Singh, president of the Khalsa Education Society, which looks after the stadium, claimed the Congress has not made any "official correspondence" with the society so far to allow yatris to stay overnight at the complex.
The Delhi High Court in January had asked an SIT to file a status report on a plea seeking action against Nath for his alleged role in a case related to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. The former chief minister has rejected allegations against him related to the case.
