Varanasi: The district administration and police on Sunday foiled an attempt by Samajwadi Party (SP) members and public representatives to reach Manikarnika Ghat to take stock of the damage to the Madhi, in which idols of 18th-century queen Ahilyabai Holkar and others were allegedly desecrated.Police placed several SP members, including Chandauli MP Virendra Singh, under house arrest. SP MLC Ashutosh Sinha was intercepted near Lahurabir crossing and boarded onto a police vehicle and taken to Cholapur police station, to prevent him from marching towards Manikarnika Ghat. MP Virendra Singh said that SP members had given a call to visit the ghat to know the ground reality of the ongoing works and the alleged damage to idols. “The administration stopped us from moving ahead and also threatened to use force, if we tried to reach Manikarnika Ghat,” he alleged.A joint team of the administration and police, led by ADM (City) Alok Kumar, prevented Singh, former UP minister Surendra Patel and others from stepping out, unfolding a high-voltage drama. When the officials made it clear that Singh was under house arrest, he staged a sit-in outside his house in Tagore Town. The protest continued for over two hours. He later called off the protest after submitting a memorandum addressed to the President.Some other SP workers in areas like Chowk and others also tried to come out of their houses to march towards Manikarnika Ghat. However, the cops foiled their bid and sent them back inside their houses. Patel termed the action by the administration and police an attempt to crush democratic rights and shield the BJP-led govt. “Such actions cannot suppress the voice of the SP,” he said.Amid massive sloganeering by the SP workers against the police and administration, the SP members said that BJP would have to give an account of damaging temples and idols.
