Lucknow, Apr 9 (PTI) An FIR has been registered here against 31 Samajwadi Party members for allegedly staging a protest near the Raj Bhavan without permission and engaging in a scuffle with police personnel, officials said on Wednesday.

The FIR was lodged at Hazratganj police station on a complaint by Sub-Inspector Bagesh Sharma, outpost incharge, Secretariat.

The protest was held on Tuesday against Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta’s “controversial” remarks on Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav.

According to reports, Gupta called Yadav “tonti chor (tap thief)” during an interview with a TV channel.

According to the complaint lodged on Tuesday, a group of 15-20 SP workers, led by Payal Kinnar, began a silent protest at GPO Park around 3:15 pm on Tuesday against Gupta’s remarks. The protesters wore black armbands.

“Later, around 4 pm, SP leaders Juhi Singh (national president of SP women’s wing), Sumaiya Rana and Vandana Chaturvedi, along with 5-7 other women supporters, joined the protest at GPO Park. The group dispersed around 5 pm, stating they were returning to the SP office,” the complaint read.

However, they abruptly returned towards gate number 2 of the Raj Bhavan, where they began raising slogans and staged a sit-in protest. When police personnel attempted to pacify the group, a scuffle ensued, it said.

According to the complaint, Payal Kinnar, Juhi Singh, Sumaiya Rana, Bina Rawat, Suman Yadav, Vandana Chaturvedi and 25 other unidentified women workers were involved in the altercation.

It also alleged that SP women workers obstructed government work by disrupting traffic and Raj Bhavan’s security arrangements.

“Based on the complaint, we have booked the accused under sections 223(disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 121 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 132 (assaulting or using criminal force against a public servant) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita,” said Assistant Commissioner of Police (Hazratganj) Vikas Kumar Jaiswal.

“The FIR was registered on Tuesday. Further investigations and efforts to identify the remaining accused are underway,” he said. PTI CDN DIV DIV