BJP protests move of sealing Hemu Gadhvi hall

Rajkot, Oct 21 (UNI) The city BJP leaders have protested the move by the election officials to seal the Hemu Gadhvi Auditorium on Friday, where the party meeting was to held.

Election officials sealed the Hemu Gadhvi hall on Friday when the party meeting was to take place. The election officials sealed the hall for that day only, stating ''It was a breach of the code of conduct to use the government property for party activity.'' City BJP president Nitin Bhardwaj, while speaking to UNI, accused the Rajkot election officials of ''showing their power.'' Mr Bhardwaj said, the BJP has sent memorandums to Election Commission offices at Delhi and Gandhinagar, condemning the action by the local officials, describing it as ''partial and illegal''.

The matter was also discussed with the Rajkot District Collector, who said the action was taken by the officials was ''just show of power'' as there was no violation of code of conduct, Mr Bhardwaj said.

The city president said ''we had booked the hall by paying its regular rent of Rs 15,000.'' The BJP, however, shifted their workers meeting at Jankalyan Hall, after the district election officials sealed the Hemu Gadhvi Auditorium.

''We are planning to move the local court tomorrow for this matter,'' the city BJP president said.

The election officials, however, maintained that the venue was sealed as the government property could not be used for the political party programme.

UNI