FIR against unknown persons for ‘obstructing’ Ranaut rally; notice issued to HP Youth Congress

“An FIR has been registered under Sections 341 and 323 IPC at Kaza on the complaint filed by the BJP, for obstructing the rally of their Lok Sabha candidate. Also, a notice has been issued by the returning officer-cum-SDM to the Youth Congress,” a spokesperson at CEO office in Shimla said.

In Kaza slogans of “Kangana, go back”, “Kangana Vangana nahi chalegi” were raised. State Congress chief Pratibha Singh had declined any role of Congress in the incident. She had termed it as anger among local people against Ranaut over her remarks on the Dalai Lama from April last year.

Bhishan Shashni, the Congress’ election coordinator for Lahaul and Spiti, claimed that his party workers were peacefully protesting but a large number of local people joined the protest as they were hurt by Ranaut’s remark.

From BJP’s legal cell, Advocate Anshul Bansal said, “An FIR has been lodged . We will submit the evidence establishing the involvement of Congress workers in the attack on our candidate’s convoy. Such things are unacceptable in democracy”.

News Agency PTI quoted Lahaul and Spiti SP Mayank Chowdhary as saying that workers of both the BJP and the ruling Congress came face to face but there was no clash and no person was injured. However, one BJP worker had sprained his leg, he added.

Meanwhile, Ranaut and Pratibha’s son Vikramaditya Singh, who is also Congress’ Lok Sabha candidate from Mandi, said “People of the tribal area worship the Tibetan spiritual leader as their god and if someone passes any remarks against their god, they will surely not like it and protest”.

Hitting back, Ranaut alleged that the Congress was behind the protest against her and added that the Kaza incident would prove to be the last nail in its coffin and contribute to her winning margin.

Singh, however, said his party had nothing to do with the incident and accused the BJP of blaming the Congress as it was losing the elections.

Ranaut had in April last year tweeted a meme featuring the Dalai Lama that said, “The Dalai Lama receives a warm welcome at the White House”. The photoshopped picture in the tweet showed the Dalai Lama sticking his tongue out with US President Joe Biden with a comment – Both of them have the same illness, definitely, they could be friends.

Following this, a group of Buddhists staged a dharna outside her office in Mumbai.

Mandi DC asked to act against Ranaut: CEO

A spokesperson at the Chief Electoral Office in Shimla said that the Mandi DC has been directed to take action against Ranaut for her public announcement regarding meeting out the medical treatment of a girl who was severely injured in an attack with sharp edged weapon at Palampur bus stand. “Another notice has been issued to Ranaut by Mandi DC for her religious remarks during campaigning at different areas in Mandi. On a complaint filed by BJP against Congress’ Vikramaditya Singh for making derogatory remarks against Ranaut, an inquiry has been made and report has been sent to Election Commission,” he said.