BJP leader suggests workers should carry sticks to rallies

BJP national secretary Rahul Sinha on Wednesday suggested that party activists should carry sticks for self-protection while attending rallies.

Sinha's proposal came a day after the saffron party's workers were allegedly attacked by the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) cadre at Kanthi in East Midnapore district after a rally of BJP president Amit Shah there.

"The way our party workers are being attacked, I would suggest they should carry sticks for self-protection while attending rallies organised by the party. If you are attacked, you can protect yourselves," Sinha told a press conference here.

A TMC party office was ransacked, several workers of both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the TMC were injured and vehicles ferrying the saffron party's workers were set on fire at Kanthi on Tuesday, the parties claimed.

The BJP as well as the TMC organised protests here and in other parts of the state on Wednesday, blaming each other for the violence.