A group of people have been seen spraying saffron paint on houses in Prayagraj.
Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh:
A businessman from the town of Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh filed an FIR against a group of people who allegedly painted saffron from his house despite objections. He said he was threatened and mistreated after asking him to stop. The street where the incident took place also houses UP Minister Nand Gopal Nandi.
The minister justified what he called “development work” and said the controversy was “unnecessary”.
Street visuals showed rows of houses painted in saffron and religious symbols were painted on many of them.
An almost one minute video shot by businessman Ravi Gupta early Monday morning from the balcony of his house in the town of Bahadurganj in Prayagraj – about 200 km from the state capital, Lucknow – shows a group of people spraying saffron paint on the exterior walls of his house.
“See how much that ‘goonda gardi“(Hooliganism) has increased”, one can hear a man say.
Another person is heard to urge, “Please stop when I ask you to. Please walk away.”
But the men did not stop, Gupta said, and unleashed a flock of abuse against the businessman and his family members.
In the same clip, another person is heard naming Mr. Nandi and alleging that work is in progress after giving instructions.
The group of men then spray directly on the people on the balcony, covering the phone lens with paint
On Monday evening, Mr. Gupta filed an FIR naming a man – Kamal Kumar Kesarwani – as the main accused in the case. Mr. Kesarwani is the cousin of Minister UP Nand Gopal Nandi.
“All I want is that the constitutional guarantees that belong to me as a citizen not be altered. I should be allowed to live in peace. I am a merchant … no one should bother me. J I only said I didn’t want to paint my house. But I was mistreated and my house was forcibly painted, “said Ravi Gupta.
The matter is currently under investigation, police in Prayagraj said, adding that action would be taken.
However, Mr. Nandi, who lives in the same neighborhood, said that the FIR is a “plot”.
“It is not entirely ‘bhagwa‘(Saffron). I can spot red, green and even a “chocolate” color. Some people – it seems – don’t like embellishment. These people are ‘Vikas-Virodhi“(against development),” said Mr. Nandi.
“And then there are people who think that they will become” netas “(politicians) if they raise their voices. It is not only on my street but a river of development flows through Prayagraj,” said Mr. Nandi to journalists.
