Our Correspondent Ludhiana, September 21 The row over holding Dussehra festival celebrations between two groups on the PUDA ground at Sector 38 in Jamalpur here took a serious turn with activists of the BJP, led by its district president, Ravinder Arora, and the state treasurer, Gurdev Sharma Debi, holding a massive protest in front of the office of the Police Commissioner. The protesters blamed the police and the district administration for adopting a partisan attitude and discriminating against Shree Vishwanath Sanatan Dharam Sabha, which owes allegiance to the BJP, at the behest of the local Congress legislator, Sanjay Talwar. The BJP supported Shree Vishwanath Sanatan Dharam Sabha and the Focal Point Dussehra Committee, reportedly enjoyed the backing of the Congress legislator. Now, both the parties are at loggerheads over holding the festival celebrations at the PUDA ground in Sector 38. Addressing party workers on the occasion, Arora and Debi alleged that earlier, the PUDA/GLADA authorities were reluctant to give permission to Shree Vishwanath Sanatan Dharam Sabha for holding Dussehra celebrations and insisted on getting a nod from the Congress legislator of the area concerned. “Now that PUDA has accorded its permission, the police have stepped in and raised objection to the use of the site for holding Dussehra festival citing security reasons,” they added. Arora said such interference of the ruling party legislators in celebrations of religious festivals was uncalled for and a gross misuse of power. He also charged certain Congress leaders of the area having vested interests in supporting the other group for Dussehra celebrations at the PUDA ground.

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