SC/ST case against Mayor triggers protest in Varanasi

Varanasi, July, 3 : People staged protests in the city today after police registered a case under SC/ST Act against the mayor following an employee's complaint that the former called him by his caste name and tried to assault him.

Hundreds of people came out on the roads and burnt the effigy of Chief Minister Mayawati, alleging that the government was "misusing" the provisions of the Act against the first citizen of the city.

This has become the latest episode in a long-drawn battle of supremacy between Mayor Kaushlendra Singh and Municipal Commissioner Nand Kishore.

The Sigra Police registered an FIR against him on the complaint of Nigam employee (clerk), Bhonu Ram under various sections of the Act. As per his complaint, the mayor called him by his caste name and tried to assault him a few days back. However, IG Gurdarshan Singh pleaded ignorance about case registration.