Rajasthan BJP MLA attacked us, says Aruna Roy’s group

JAIPUR: Members of Aruna Roy and Nikhil Dey’s Soochana Evam Rozgar Adhikar Abhiyan were allegedly attacked in Rajasthan’s Jhalawar by a BJP MLA and his supporters on Saturday.
The activists were in the area as part of their state-wide Jawabdehi Yatra.
Many activists including women sustained minor injuries in the attack by BJP MLA Kanwar Pal Meena and his supporters.Four supporters of Meena have been arrested.
The assault took place at 4.30 pm at the bus stop near Aklera Block shortly after a street play was performed by the activists to encourage villagers for participation in the government schemes.
Both the senior activists were in Jaipur at the time attacked took place.
Activist Shankar Singh suffered injuries when the MLA indiscriminately hit him with a baton. “First A group of four to five people armed with batons came and started hitting us. But they fled in a while. We panicked but decided to continue the Yatra inside the market. There we saw attackers who came all of a sudden. They didn’t even spare the women and slapped them, pushed them and hit them with batons. Many of our activists’ cell phones were snatched by the goons following MLA orders,” Singh said over the phone.
The activists ran in different directions to save themselves. Jhalawar SP, Rajendra Singh told TOI, “The activists were thrashed by some goons and we will soon nab them. So far, I have no clue about the involvement of MLA in the case.”
TOI spoke to Meena who denied charges against them, said, “I was told that these activists used foul language against me which provoked the people. I rushed to the spot to save them from the fury of a mob of 400-500 who were upset with them. I had to convince them to not engage in any violence and averted the incident. Since, that incident I am looking for the lost camera of these activists.”
District collector of Jhalawar, Vishnu Charan Malik, rushed to the Akhlera police station to meet the victims. When asked about the involvement of MLA, he said, “I have just reached to the police station and getting information from police.”
This 100-day Jawabdehi (accountability) Yatra was launched from Jaipur on December 1 and it will culminate in Jaipur on March 9.
Reacting strongly on the incident, Roy told TOI, “This incident happened in chief minister Vasundhara Raje’s bastion sends a chilling message about the basic tolerance for the democracy. Our Yatra has been fulfilling all democratic standards. The attack by public representative is highly condonable.”