Police and Congress workers scuffle as CM Mohan Yadav's effigy is burnt at Satrunda in Ratlam

There was a heated scuffle between Congress workers and police at Satrunda in Ratlam while an effigy of Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav was being burnt. Police kept running to snatch the effigy and put out the fire with buckets of water.

On Friday afternoon, Ratlam Rural Congress burnt the effigy at Satrunda crossing on the directions of the state Congress. Party leaders said the protest was held against the Chief Minister's alleged controversial remark on World Tribal Day on August 9.

When police tried to snatch the effigy, workers tried to save it. Tribal Congress district president Kishan Singhar held on to the effigy and lay down on the road, but police took it from him. Workers also burnt posters of the Chief Minister and shouted slogans. In the tussle between the two sides, the effigy burnt only halfway. Police later snatched the remaining part as well, and the effigy broke into two pieces in the process.

Some time after the effigy was burnt, state Congress president Jitu Patwari reached the spot. He told the police, "Use the batons a little less on the workers, our government is coming." Patwari said a worker who was burning the effigy had even had his buttocks burnt. According to him, if the Chief Minister does such things as burning effigies, effigies will be burnt in protest.

On the issue of farmers, Patwari referred to a statement by BJP MP Janardan Mishra. He said one MP was saying that farmers remain intoxicated for nine months, while farmers were not getting electricity, water and urea on time. He also asked whether Ratlam Rural had been declared drought-hit or not. Patwari said he was a farmer's son and asked the BJP to say who was intoxicated.

Patwari said that if any worker faced injustice, he would raise his voice for them. Referring to SIR, he asked Congress workers to prepare to win the panchayat elections. He also claimed that Congress would form governments at the Centre and in the state.

Others present at the protest included Tribal Congress district president Kishan Singhar, Laxman Singh Dindor, former Congress candidate for Ratlam Rural, Youth Congress assembly vice-president Anil Kataria, Birmawal sarpanch Ramesh Dindor, Mahila Congress president Savita Bhanwar, Gopal Ninama, Badrilal Bhanwar, Mangilal Malvi, Janpad member Kamal Bhuria, Bittu Rawal, Anil Ninama, Bunty Jat, Bhanwar Bhuria and Sukhdev Malviya.