The women also alleged BJP workers present at the camp office “misbehaved” with them.
Ballia:
Four women and a man were taken into custody Monday for allegedly causing a commotion at the camp office here of Uttar Pradesh minister Anand Swaroop Shukla and “misbehaving” with him, police said.
The minister claimed the incident was “sponsored” and termed women’s outrage part of a “conspiracy”.
One of the protesting women, however, alleged the minister himself “hit a woman on her head with a shoe” and got them thrown out of the premises with the help of his supporters when they had gone there with their grievances on the release of grant money for school students.
The women also alleged BJP workers present at the camp office “misbehaved” with them.
Witnesses said the women allegedly threw chairs around as they were not happy with the minister’s response to their complaint.
They created a ruckus and “misbehaved” with him and his supporters, said Ballia Kotwali in-charge Bal Mukund Mishra.
The women had gone there to meet the Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs to press their demand of releasing grant for children in private schools.
The minister took their applications and also spoke to the district’s Basic Shiksha Adhikari (BSA) over the phone, but the women were not happy with this and surrounded the minister, Mishra said.
Witnesses said the women demanded an immediate release of grant money.
Upon being informed, several police officers including the Deputy Superintendent of Police (City) rushed to the spot soon to restore order, the Kotwali in-charge said.
Five people, including four women, have been taken into custody by the Mahila police station, he said.
He said that no complaint has been received yet.
Necessary action will be taken after registering a case on getting a complaint, he said.
Speaking to journalists later, the minister described the incident as a “sponsored” one and termed women’s outrage a part of “conspiracy”.
He said that an attempt was made to solve their problem by reaching out to the authorities concerned.
Rani, who was among the protesting women, later told newspersons at the Kotwali that they had been trying for the release of grant for children for the past three years.
She said they met the minister Monday, seeking concrete steps in that regard.
“However, the minister himself hit a woman on her head with a shoe. He got them thrown out of the premises through his supporters,” se claimed.
She also charged the Kotwali incharge with misbehaving with them.