Signature Bridge ruckus: Min urges govt to lodge complaint against Tiwari

Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain on Tuesday urged the Delhi government to lodge a formal complaint against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Manoj Tiwari in connection with the scuffle between him and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supporters during the inauguration of the Signature Bridge in Delhi earlier this week.

Jain, in a statement, said that despite security at the event, "Tiwari along with the associates, who can be identified in the video taken at the spot, in pursuance of criminal conspiracy, stormed the venue and indulged in large-scale affray, assault, and illegal activities such as sloganeering to disrupt the peaceful conduct of the ceremony, criminal trespass, assault on public servants, etc."

Jain added that Tiwari and his associates "indulged in this kind of hooliganism to overawe the highest functionaries of the government, and have beaten senior police officers on duty with a threat to police personnel to teach them a lesson by getting them dismissed through his government."

He stated that Tiwari has committed offences punishable under Sections 120B, 147, 148, 186, 189, 332, 353, 451 and 506 of the Indian Penal Code.

This comes after Tiwari, earlier on Tuesday, wrote to Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) North East Delhi and filed a complaint against AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and unknown persons.

Khan was caught on camera shoving Tiwari during the inauguration ceremony of the Signature Bridge here on November 4.

In a video footage of the incident, Tiwari can be seen standing at the edge of an elevated platform before a number of police officers and AAP workers when Khan, an MLA from Okhla, pushed the BJP Delhi chief, nearly causing him to fall.

On Sunday, Tiwari had claimed that the entire incident took place in front of Kejriwal, adding that he is going to file an FIR over the incident. He had alleged that he was stopped by the police and AAP supporters from attending the event.

The bridge was inaugurated on November 4 and was opened for public use the following day. It was inaugurated by the Delhi Chief Minister.

Announced in 2004, the 575-metre bridge over the River Yamuna aims to reduce travel time and traffic congestion between the north-eastern and northern parts of the national capital, and will be the first asymmetrical cable-stayed bridge in India.