Ballia, July 19: The BJP MLA from Chilkahar Assembly constituency, Ram Iqbal Singh today staged a dharna alongwith his supporters at the Nagra police station here in protest against the filing of firs against him and nine others under the SC/SC Act. Singh, against whom a named fir was lodged after BSP and BJP supporters clashed on Thursday last, described the step as one sided and demanded a thorough investigation by a team of legislators into the land grabbing case in Paharpur village, which had led to controversy. "I have already written a letter in this regard to the Vidhan Sabha speaker, he added. The matter has already been taken up with the state BJP leadership," he added.
Singh alleged that police were harassing his supporters and carrying out raids at their residences and demanded the suspension of Superintendent of Police.

The Superintendent of Police, Sridhar Pathak however said that police was only questioning the relatives of those named in the FIR and was doing its duty. One sub inspector has already been suspended in this connection, he added.

On Thursday last, Chief Minister Mayawati, at a public rally had asked the district officials to arrest Singh who she alleged was politicising the land grabbing case in Paharpur village.

In reaction to the chief minister's outburst, the BSP supporters returning from the rally shouted slogans against the Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee and other senior BJP leaders leading to a clash which left over half a dozen BSP workers injured. Bureau Report