BJP leader starts indefinite protest against bulldozer action on party office in UP's Ballia

Ballia (UP): Surendra Singh, a BJP leader from Uttar Pradesh's Ballia district began an indefinite sit-in protest against the municipal corporation on Wednesday for demolishing the party’s camp office here, which was allegedly constructed on encroached land.

The BJP office, located at Indira Market in the Chittu Pandey area, was demolished under the anti-encroachment drive by a joint team from the Ballia Municipal Corporation, district administration and police on Tuesday.

Chanting slogans of "Down with the district administration," Singh, who is the party's district vice president, condemned the demolition and claimed that he had been operating the office for the past 40 years, which was destroyed without any prior warning or discussion.

He also raised banners at the protest site, one of which read, "Mass protest against the unjust and arbitrary action by the district administration."

"They (municipal corporation) should have spoken to me before demolishing it. They are government employees, and I am a government party official. The government is mine; they should have sat down and discussed it with me," Singh told media here.

The BJP functionary further accused the district administration of acting under the influence of the Samajwadi Party (SP).

He alleged that administrative officials were functioning as agents of the SP, indulging in harassment and extortion under the pretext of the anti-encroachment drive.

On Wednesday, Singh also submitted a petition to the District Magistrate's office, informing them about his indefinite protest. Singh's office was marked with a board stating "Camp Office, BJP, Ballia." Confirming the bulldozer action, Sub-Divisional Magistrate Rajesh Kumar said, "The encroachment was removed as part of a routine exercise."