The Newshour Debate: Unacceptable muscle flexing - 1

Ajit Singh's supporters Thursday (Sept. 18) clashed with police while protesting against the Centre's move to evict him from official residence in Delhi, while the RLD chief demanded that the house be converted into a memorial to his father, former Prime Minister Chaudhary Charan Singh. At least 18 persons were injured as police fired rubber bullets and tear gas shells and resorted to lathicharge to disperse activists of Bhartiya Kisan Union and Rashtriya Lok Dal supporters, who turned violent as the cops thwarted their attempt to cut-off water supply to Delhi from Gangnahar Muradnagar regulator. "They (supporters) had given a call to cut water supply to Delhi and for that 10,000 supporters of BKU and RLD had assembled at the regulator at Muradnagar. It was a volatile situation because the crowd had come out with stones and bottles," Alok Sharma, IG, Meerut said. At least eight constables and ten protesters have been injured in the incident, he said, adding people had assembled from Saharnpur, Moradabad, Agra, and Meerut range following a call by Rashtriya Lok Dal. Last week, power and water supplies to official residences of former Union Minister Ajit Singh and other ex-MPs were disconnected by the government as they were not eligible for the facility and were overstaying. Singh said he would vacate his government bungalow by next week but claimed people want the house to be converted into a memorial for Charan Singh as he stayed there for 36 years. The former Union minister also slammed the BJP for lack of "courtesy" saying though he cannot stay in the residence after ceasing to be a minister or a lawmaker, he should have been given time to vacate after he informed the government of his plans to leave by September 24. "After BJP lost power in 2004, several of its leaders continued to occupy bungalows meant for ministers. When I have already informed them that I would leave by September 24, what was the need to cut power and water supply? I had written to the gove