"Thrash BJP Workers If Required": Jharkhand Congress Leader Triggers Row

BJP reacted sharply to Bandhu Tirkey and its national vice-president Raghubar Das cautioned the UPA supporters not to touch a BJP worker "even by mistake".

Jharkhand Congress working president Bandhu Tirkey created controversy on Monday by asking party workers to "thrash" BJP activists "if required".

Tirkey was speaking at a sit-in of the ruling UPA near the Raj Bhavan here against the saffron party and the ED summons to Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren and Income Tax search against two Congress MLAs.

BJP reacted sharply to Tirkey and its national vice-president Raghubar Das cautioned the UPA supporters not to touch a BJP worker "even by mistake".

The Enforcement Directorate had summoned Soren for questioning on November 3 in a money laundering case linked to alleged illegal mining in the state. Soren had skipped the summons and went to Chhattisgarh to attend a pre-scheduled programme and is stated to have sought three weeks' time to appear before the central probe agency.