Lucknow: Nominations were filed for the posts of block panchayat chiefs in all 75 districts of Uttar Pradesh on Thursday amid reports of clashes at several places and allegations of snatching of papers.
The Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Congress have accused BJP workers of indulging in the violence.
According to a Bahraich report, supporters of a candidate from Balha block clashed with the police and pelted stones at them for allegedly stopping them from entering the nomination hall, injuring a policeman.
SDM Ram Asri Verma said that a case has been registered and some people have been taken into custody, police resorted to lathi-charge to control the situation.
Sitapur District Magistrate Vishal Bhardwaj said that one person was injured in the firing allegedly by some people while filing nominations in Kasmanda block.
The DM said that the injured have been referred to a Lucknow hospital for treatment, while four people have been arrested in this connection.
Some people allegedly attacked the BJP-backed candidate and his supporters in Shahpur area of Chargwan block, following which the police had to lathi-charge to control the situation.
A video also surfaced on social media, in which a candidate supported by Samajwadi Party in Ambiapur block of Badaun is seen snatching and torn papers.
Additional Director General of Police Prashant Kumar said that irregularities in filing nomination papers have been reported from 14 places and orders have been given to register cases.
Meanwhile, reports of clashes were also reported from Kannauj, Etah and Gorakhpur.
In Kannauj, violence erupted in Talgram and Gugrapur blocks with the Samajwadi Party accusing the BJP of using government machinery to harass rivals with the help of the police.
SP chief Akhilesh Yadav alleged, “The ruling BJP has kept the law and order of Uttar Pradesh hostage. The people of the ruling party are openly strangling democracy and the police, the administration is watching this murder of democracy as a mute spectator.
Yadav said former Uttar Pradesh Assembly speaker Mata Prasad Pandey’s car was damaged in Siddharthnagar district’s Itwa block.
A Samajwadi Party delegation led by party leader Naresh Uttam also complained to the State Election Commission, alleging that candidates supported by them have been barred from filing papers.
He alleged that BJP workers tore nomination papers of SP-backed candidates, assaulted their supporters, obstructed filing of nominations at many places.
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also accused BJP workers of indulging in the violence, alleging that democracy was being “hurt” in the state.
He shared a video of the violence on Twitter, saying “PM sahib and CM sahib should also be congratulated” on how their workers in UP pelted stones and fired, looted nomination papers, thrashed journalists and “misbehaved with women”. did.
“Democracy is being destroyed by blindfolding law and order,” the Congress general secretary said in a Hindi tweet.
The State Election Commission had issued notification for the elections on July 5, for which nominations were filed between 11 am and 3 pm on Thursday.
The last date for withdrawal of candidature is July 9. Voting will be held on July 10 from 11 am to 3 pm and after that the counting of votes will take place on the same day.
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