BSP warns of intensified agitation over renaming issue

Rajkot, May 24 (UNI) The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has threatened to launch a ''rasta roko'' agitation and seal the Rajkot Municipal Corporation (RMC) office on Monday if the resolution to rename the civic body office is not withdrawn immediately.

The Congress, BJP rebels and the Bharatiya Janshakti Party have, meanwhile, joined hands with the BSP on this issue.

The Congress, meanwhile, proposes to file a defamation suit against Mayor Dhansukh Bhanderi and other elected members of the BJP-ruled civic body for issuing ''false advertisements''.

Congress city president Jaswantsinh Bhatti, while speaking to UNI, condemned the BJP for issuing advertisements on Thursday in local dailies, holding the Congress responsible for the recent violence in the city over the renaming issue.

The advertisements bear the signatures of Mayor Dhansukh Bhanderi, Deputy Mayor Janak Kotak, Social welfare Committee Chairman Devang Mankand and Standing Committee Chairman Jaimin Upadhaya, Mr Bhatti said.

While strongly refuting the charges, Mr Bhatti said the Congress will file defamation suit against these leaders.

An RMC resolution seeking to rename the civic body's central zone office building after the late BJP leader Chiman Shukla has evoked strong protests from certain sections here who feel it is an ''anti-dalit'' resolution.

The protests took a violent turn on May 20 when ''dalit'' members allegedly went on a rampage and burnt and damaged vehicles in different parts of the city. The police had to burst teargas shells to quell the violent mobs.

UNI AV MAZ SP PM1940