The Madhya Pradesh Congress's two-week-long programme to express solidarity with the farmers agitating against the Modi-government’s farm laws in Bhopal, descended into disorder as the police employed tear gas and water cannons to disperse the marchers going towards Raj Bhawan, NDTV reported.
“Shivraj's use of lathi charge, tear gas and water canons on peaceful demonstrations in Bhopal is a reminder of the British during the colonial era,” the party wrote in Hindi on Twitter.
Some Congress workers and police personnel sustained injuries as the police resorted to baton-charge.
The march was being led by former Chief Minister Kamal Nath, and hundreds of party workers had gathered in the city's Jawahar Chowk area a little before noon. They had planned to march to and surround Raj Bhavan, the official residence of Governor Anandiben Patel, NDTV reported.
Nath had expressed that the purpose of the movement was to spread awareness.
As the marchers started moving towards Raj Bhawan, the police cautioned them in a bid to quell the movement. However, when the protesters tried to overstep the barricades, senior officials announced the use of force as a reaction to their protest. Soon, water canons and tear gas canisters were used on the party workers.
In a report by NDTV, dramatic visuals portray hundreds of people carrying placards and flags rushing away from an advancing force of policemen.
Another video shows a water cannon being used on a group of people surrounding a police vehicle.
(With inputs from NDTV.)
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