Scuffle between Cong workers during dharna in UP

Two factions of Congress workers clashed with each other during a dharna here to protest against irregularities in Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme.

"Two groups of party workers had heated arguments and a scuffle with each other during the dharna at Robertsganj during the presence of AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh and UPPCC president Rita Bahuguna Joshi yesterday," partysources said.

The trouble broke out between the groups of district unit president R D Pandey and head of the party's anti-communal front Amresh Mishra allegedly over taking credit for organising the event, they said.

The situation came under control only when Digvijay and Joshi intervened and asked the party workers to pacify, the sources said. Meanwhile, addressing the dharna Singh alleged that while action was being taken against junior employees, senior officials like block development officers involved in corruption were being spared.

He said that the workers were not being paid wages for their hardwork and their dues were pending. Referring to Noida extension, he alleged that land was taken from the farmers at the rate of Rupees 100 to Rupees 1,200 per square metre and was sold to builders at much higher prices.