Manoj Tiwari hospitalised after getting injured outside Kejriwal's house

New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Manoj Tiwari was hospitalised Tuesday after sustaining injuries at a protest near Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence over the ban on Chhath celebrations in the national capital.

BJP leader Rahul Trivedi said that Tiwari received injuries during the protest due to water canon force and has been rushed to the Safdarjung hospital. The BJP MP is said to have sustained injuries on his ear.

The BJP has been protesting against the Delhi Disaster Management Authority’s order prohibiting Chhath celebrations at public places and river banks in view of the Covid-19 pandemic. In an order dated September 30, the DDMA had also banned fairs and food stalls during festivals.

However, the Delhi BJP hit back, stating that it would celebrate the Chhath puja (at ghats) and the three corporations (MCDs), all ruled by the party, would make arrangements for it.

Delhi BJP Chief Adesh Gupta, while addressing a press conference with Tiwari at the party’s Pant Marg office on Monday, said that the celebrations would follow Covid-19 protocols. Tiwari said, “Delhi government has allowed swimming pools to open but banned Chhat puja. People holding Chhath fast only get knee-deep inside water during the festival and Covid guidelines also say that the disease spreads through mouth and nose, not knee.”