Dhar: Madhya Pradesh Health Minister Mahendra Hardia on Sunday faced the wrath of locals when he arrived at a hospital here to meet those injured in the police action near Bhojshala on Basant Panchami.
Hardia, who doubles as guardian minister of Dhar district, faced protests from locals and the injured persons, who raised slogans against him and IG (Indore range) Anuradha Shankar over Friday's incident.
Scores of people were injured when police cane-charged and lobbed teargas shells to evict stone-pelting protesters from Bhojshala, a protected monument, which houses a temple and a mosque, on February 15.
Earlier, talking to reporters at Circuit House, Hardia said he would take up the matter with Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
Bhojshala complex, which is home to a Saraswati temple and Kamal Maula Mosque, is protected by Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and visited by both Hindus and Muslims on different days. The ownership of the complex has long been a matter of dispute between the two communities.
Meanwhile, Bhoj Utsav Samiti president Ashok Jain met Hardia and demanded a judicial probe into police action and suspension of police officials for ordering lathicharge.
PTI
First Published: Sunday, February 17, 2013, 23:33