Congress MLA sits on hunger strike against his own government in Rajasthan

Jaipur, June 1 (IANS) Congress MLA and former Director General of Police (DGP) Harish Meena began an indefinite hunger strike on Saturday protesting against his own government in Rajasthan for the death of a tractor driver who was allegedly beaten up by policemen in Tonk district on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the state President of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Madanlal Saini, has formed a three-member committee to probe the matter.

Harish Meena alleged that the state government did not pay heed to his demands even after he sat on a dharna for the last three days demanding justice for Bhajanlal Meena, who died under suspicious circumstances after being allegedly beaten up by police officers in Laxmipura village in Tonk district.

While
Bhajanlal's family members claimed that he was killed after being thrashed by the cops, the police termed it an 'accidental death'. The protesters alleged that Bhajanlal was chased and thrashed by the police which led to his death.

The protestors, who are sitting on a dharna in Nagarfort village with the body of Bhajanlal along with Harish Meena, are demanding action against the accused police officers and job for a dependent member of Bhajanlal's family.

Speaking to the media before beginning his hunger strike, Harish Meena said that he had communicated his message to the state government, but it took no initiative in the last three days. "Hence I had to resort to hunger strike," he said.

On Saturday, BJP's Rajya Sabha MP Kirorilal Meena also arrived at the venue of the dharna and said that a huge protest will be launched on June 5 if the demands of the protestors were not met.

Meanwhile, BJP MLA and deputy leader of opposition Rajendra Rathore said on Saturday that the state government's days were numbered as even its own MLAs were sitting on dharna against their own government.

BJP state unit chief Saini alleged that the Ashok Gehlot-led government was intentionally trying to suppress the matter. He also said that a three-member panel has been constituted to probe the incident, which includes Tonk MP Sukhveer Singh Jaunpuriya, Tonk district President Ganesh Mahur and former MLA Kanhaiyalal. The committee will submit its report within three days.