Bhopal, July 18 : BJP and Congress workers came face to face at a police station in Bhopal on Thursday, prompting the cops to deploy additional security personnel to avoid clashes between the two sides.

The state Congress took out a protest match on Thursday afternoon against the alleged irregularities in nursing college exams, a matter which is being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) following a direction from the Madhya Pradesh High Court.

The protesters led by state Congress President Jitu Patwari and veteran party leader Digvijaya Singh marched to the Ashoka Garden police station to lodge a complaint against state minister Vishvas Sarang, alleging that the BJP leader should be held responsible as he was the Medical Education Minister (March 2020 to December 2023) when the alleged irregularities took place.

Sarang is presently the Sports Minister in Chief Minister Mohan Yadav's Cabinet.

When the Congress workers reached the police station, the BJP workers were already present there performing 'Sunderkand Paath', which made Digvijaya Singh question how can a religious programme be held at a police station.

As the police barred the Congress protesters from entering the police station, Digvijay Singh said, 'If Sunderkand Path is allowed, other religious activities should also be permitted. People should be allowed to celebrate Eid and Gurunanak Jayanti at police stations.'

'I was also the Chief Minister for 10 years during which no religious programmes were organised at any police station in the state,' he added.

In the meantime, a group of BJP workers arrived at the police station, triggering tension.

However, the police managed to control the situation, saying the 'Sunderkand Path' wasn't organised by the BJP workers, but by the staff of the police station.

/IANS