‘There was no need for lathi-charge'

Minister for Haj, Wakf and Minority Welfare Mumtaz Ali Khan said here on Thursday that he was not responsible for the police lathi-charge on members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) at Muddenahalli in Chickballapur district on Wednesday.

Addressing presspersons here, the Minister said that in a report that appeared in The Hindu on Thursday, ABVP members held him responsible for the lathi-charge.

Mr. Khan said that there was no need for lathi-charge. Police were more in number than the ABVP members. Police could have taken them into custody. Describing ABVP members as peace-loving, he said they do not resort to violence.