Activist Shabnam Hashmi has alleged that she was manhandled by BJP workers
Activist Shabnam Hashmi has alleged that she was manhandled by BJP workers on Monday when she was distributing leaflets criticising Narendra Modi's 'Gujarat model', in Raebareli in Uttar Pradesh.
Ms Hashmi says she was surrounded by a group of BJP workers who snatched the leaflets before threatening and attacking her.
"I narrowly escaped - Pratap Singh Negi and I were surrounded, threatened and manhandled by 25-30 BJP goons...for distributing leaflets exposing Modi's Myth of Gujarat development," Ms Hashmi has posted on Facebook. "BJP hoodlums using highly abusive and sexist language threaten to rape threw out all leaflets and our bags from the vehicle, threatened to burn the vehicle."
The activist alleged that the police refused to file a First Information Report despite a written complaint.
Raebareli, from where Congress president Sonia Gandhi is running for Parliament, is one of 100 constituencies chosen by a national platform of activists, including Shabnam Hashmi, for a nationwide campaign. The group says it is fighting to uphold "democracy and secularism" and counter "fascist forces".
Ms Hashmi's allegations came on a day the Aam Aadmi Party alleged that two of its volunteers were beaten up by BJP workers in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, where the party's chief Arvind Kejriwal has challenged Mr Modi, the BJP's prime ministerial candidate, in the general election. (read:
AAP accuses BJP workers of attack partymen in Varanasi)
The BJP has promised action if at all its workers were involved, but has also suggested that the AAP volunteers may have provoked an argument that led to a fight.