Atal ashes row takes political hue

The issue of insult to urn with ashes of former Prime Minister, the late Atal Bihari Vajpayee, by Bharatiya Janata Party is taking a political colour.

After sloganeering, demonstration and arrest of Congress leaders on Tuesday, who were demanding that the BJP hand over the ashes so that it could be immersed with due rituals, now the issue has reached the police station by way of a formal complaint lodged by the BJP.

BJP spokesperson Sanjay Shrivastava and others registered a complaint at Moudhapara police station. They also wanted to register an FIR against Congress leader Karuna Shukla, Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee president Bhupesh Baghel and other party leaders.

The BJP leaders objected to Congress leaders staging a demonstration at the BJP headquarters, Ekatma Parisar, when an important meeting was in progress.

Twitter war

Congress accused the BJP of insulting Bharat Ratna Vajpayee by keeping the urn with his ashes in gunny bags in the BJP office. Bhupesh Baghel had tweeted that if the BJP cannot keep the urn with ashes with due respect, it should be handed over to Congress, so that it can be immersed with due traditions.

Later, Karuna Shukla, niece of Vajpayee, along with other Congress leaders went to BJP office to seek the urn with ashes. Both parties clashed and the police arrested the leaders. Allegations and counter allegations were traded on Twitter the whole of Tuesday.