Etawah (UP), Sep 1 (PTI) BJP and Congress workers clashed on Monday outside the Congress office here after stones were pelted during a protest by the ruling party against the alleged derogatory remarks made against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his mother during Rahul Gandhi's 'Voter Adhikar Yatra' in Bihar.
Later, an FIR was registered against Congress leaders on serious charges, including attempt to murder.
The protest at the Nagar Palika intersection was led by BJP MLA Sarita Bhadauria and district president Arun Kumar alias Annu Gupta.
BJP workers raised slogans of "Rahul Gandhi Murdabad", prompting Congress workers inside the party office to respond with "Modi Murdabad" chants.
As tempers flared, a stone was hurled towards the BJP protesters, triggering stone-pelting from both sides.
Police personnel who were already deployed at the spot quickly intervened, separating the two groups and bringing the situation under control, Station House Officer (SHO) Yashwant Singh said.
He said that to maintain law and order, Congress district president Ashutosh Dixit, city president Rashid, Pallav Dubey and around a dozen party workers were taken to the police station.
Additional District Magistrate Abhinav Ranjan, who reached the spot following the incident, said the BJP workers were protesting at a pre-scheduled venue when "miscreants threw stones near the intersection".
The culprits are being identified and strict action will be taken, he said.
Later, on a written complaint by BJP Mahila Morcha district president Virla Shakya, a case was registered at the city police station against Dixit, Pathan, former Congress district president Malkhan Singh Yadav, Komal Singh Kushwaha, Vipin Kushwaha, Pallav Dubey, Prashant Tiwari, Aashiq Pathan and 20 unidentified persons.
The FIR was lodged under sections 191(2) (rioting), 190 (unlawful assembly), 109 (attempt to murder), 125 (act endangering life or personal safety of others), 352 (intentional insult with intent to provoke a breach of peace) and 351(3) (criminal intimidation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
The BJP has been protesting after a purported video showed a person using a Hindi expletive against Modi from a dais during Rahul Gandhi's yatra in Darbhanga town on August 27. PTI could not independently verify the authenticity of the video.