Dhol, Manjira & 'Alarm' Bells: BJP’s Novel Protest Props to Awaken MP Govt from ‘Deep Slumber’

Bhopal: Dhol (wooden drums) and 'manjira' (cymbals) and bells in hand, leaders and supporters of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) staged protest rallies across the state in a bid to raise an alarm and awaken the Kamal Nath-led Congress government from its alleged deep slumber.

The BJP leaders claimed that the state government was in deep sleep and they were forced to organise the ‘ghamtanaad’ (blowing the bells) agitation to protest against it. They accused the Congress government of ignoring the public in the last eight months since coming to power.

BJP state unit president Rakesh Singh led a demonstration of thousands of party workers and leaders in Bhopal and gheraoed the Collectorate. Former Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan and MP Nandkumar Singh Chauhan led rallies in Indore. Over-excited party workers broke the security cordon to scale the walls of the Collectorate, following which the police took action.

Leader of Opposition Gopal Bhargav participated in the protest in Jabalpur where police had to use water cannons to disperse protesters.

“No work is happening as the Congress government is busy making excuses,” said Bhargav. “We have staged this protest to wake up the government.”

Bhargav, who claimed that even lower-rung workers refused to work without accepting bribes, courted arrest with other leaders and workers after the protest.

Issues, including farm loan waiver, unemployment allowance and spiralling electricity bills, were taken up by the BJP’s workers during the protests. Former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Archana Chitnis and Bhupendra Singh led the demonstrations in Vidisha, Burhanpur and Gwalior, respectively.

Senior Congress leader and former Pradesh Congress Committee chief Arun Yadav said if the state BJP unit was so concerned about the people's problems, it should protest against the Centre that has stopped releasing funds worth Rs 6,500 crore to Madhya Pradesh. Yadav also tagged a news report on the subject with his tweet.