SP and Cong activists clash at programme presided over by Beni

Bahraich (UP), Jun 25: SP activists raised slogans and clashed with

workers during the foundation stone-laying ceremony of a processing unit of Steel Authority of India by Union Steel Minister

. The Union minister laid the foundation stone of Rs 100 crore steel processing unit at Godani Basahi village in Risia area last evening.

As the programme was underway, some SP workers reached the spot and raised slogans against Beni while waiving black flags, sources said. Later SP and Congress workers clashed with each other and threw chairs in which some persons were injured, though no case has been registered by the police so far, they said. Meanwhile, addressing a gathering Beni once again attacked SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav.

He said, in Lok Sabha elections while Congress would top again, BJP would be reduced to half and SP would be wiped out. Even Mulayam and his daughter-in-law Dimple would be defeated and SP would get limited to only two seats, he claimed.

In a veiled reference to Mulayam, Beni said, one leader had said in a statement that BJP leader L K Advani never lies. From this, it was clear that the leader was with the BJP, he alleged. Beni added that the area would develop once the factory comes up, which would produce one lakh tonne steel every year, and people would get employment.

PTI