Dehradun: The BJP’s high-voltage protest against Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat, near the state Assembly, took a violent turn when local MLA Ganesh Joshi attacked and lathicharged a police horse deployed to control the protest on Monday. The MLA is under fire for allegedly hitting the horse mercilessly and breaking one of its hind legs.
Mounted police had been stationed near the assembly to stop the protest, held by BJP workers. As the protesters came close to the barricade, the police tried to control the crowd. A scuffle had started, during which Ganesh Joshi, the sitting legislator from Mussoorie, was seen striking at the legs of a police mount with a stick. The BJP MLA lathicharged the horse as other protesters also joined in.
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Soon, the left hind leg of the horse was bleeding and it had to be carried off in a veterinary ambulance. Veterinarians have said that the horse is in immense pain and its leg will have to be amputated. A case will also be filed against the BJP MLA.
However, Joshi later defended his action, saying the horse had collapsed as it had not been given any water through the day. “The horse wasn’t given any water throughout the day. As soon as some water was given to the horse he was fine, he was just thirsty. I am not at fault at all,” the MLA said.
The incident generated widespread condemnation. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) demanded strict action against the MLA. “Doctors say the horse will never be able to walk again and his legs are likely to be amputated. Somebody who can do this to a horse can do this to anyone. He must not be in such a position,” said PETA campaign manager Bhubhaneshwari Gupta.