Convoy of BJP MPs shown black flags in Kanpur

KANPUR: A convoy of senior BJP MP Murli Manohar Joshi and other Members of Parliament (MPs) was shown black flags by tannery and glue unit owners and workers outside the Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) in Jajmau area on Tuesday evening. The protest of the tannery and glue unit owners was led by SP MLA Irfan Solanki. The protestors raised anti-PM slogans and said that the National Green Tribunal (NGT) was harrasing the tannery and glue unit owners in the name of saving Ganga from pollution.
Realising the sensitivity of the situation, the district authorities, including a large police force, cordoned off the protestors. The armed policemen and paramilitary took the entire area in its custody. The district magistrate and senior police officials ensured that there was no untoward incident. The policemen and the security personnels took the MPs in their cover and ensured that nobody could go close. The agitating protestors held black flags in their hands.
Intervening in the matter, district magistrate Kaushal Raj Sharma spoke to SP MLA Irfan Solanki and said that this is a parliamentary committee, which had come for review of the development work in the city and not a political function. The DM urged the MLA to not to hold protest. It was after this the SP and his supporters gave up their protest. Solanki was then allowed to meet MM Joshi who handed over a copy of memorandum to him. Joshi got down his vehicle and spoke to Solanki who along with his supporters was captured in TOI Lucknow lenses holding black flags as a mark of protest. Joshi heard Solanki patiently and assured him that the tannery owners would not face harrasement. Earlier, Solanki had apprised Joshi that in the name of saving Ganga from pollution, the glue units situated far away from Ganga are being demolished. He also told Joshi that there are no set of rules that are followed and that action is initiated. Such an action would render several jobless.
It is important to mention that a team of 11 MPs, including MM Joshi, chairman of estimate committee of Parliament, had come to city on a two-day tour to review the development in the city as per the schemes of centre government and to see the condition of the sewage treatment plants. The tour ended on Tuesday evening and the MPs left for state capital.