Congress institutes probe into party workers' clash

Taking a serious view of the clash between supporters of former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and the party's state unit chief Ashok Tanwar in the capital, the Congress on Monday announced a probe into the incident.

The inquiry into the clash at a party event will be conducted by former Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, Congress leader Janardan Dwivedi said in a statement.

The clash took place near Bhairon Mandir ahead of Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi's rally in the capital at the end of his 26-day 'Kisan Yatra' in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh. Tanwar had to be hospitalised after the clash that also caused injuries to some other party workers.

"Congress President Sonia Gandhi has decided that former Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde will conduct an inquiry into the October 6 incident at Bhairon Mandir where workers and leaders had assembled to welcome Rahul Gandhi," said the statement.

At a press briefing later, Congress Spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said there is no scope of violence in the Congress.

"It is unfortunate and condemnable that such a thing happened during the Kisan Yatra," he said.

Surjewala said both the party President and Vice President have taken a serious view of the incident.

The Congress has been battling factionalism in its Haryana unit. The party finished third in the state in the last assembly polls.

--IANS

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