Madhya Pradesh government announced that cases lodged against political opponents by the previous BJP dispensation will be withdrawn.A day after BSP chief Mayawati threatened to withdraw support to Congress-led governments in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan unless cases registered against innocent people during last year’s Bharat Bandh are withdrawn, the MP government on Tuesday announced that cases lodged against political opponents by the previous BJP dispensation will be withdrawn.
Madhya Pradesh Law Minister P C Sharma said cases lodged against people who were not on the spot of violence or disturbances during the April 2 agitation will also be withdrawn.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said his government will examine the cases registered in connection with violence during the Bharat Bandh on April 2, 2018, and that innocent people should not be implicated.
Justifying Mayawati’s demand as “natural”, Gehlot told the media, “It is a matter of investigation to see how many people, against whom cases were registered, were guilty, and how many were innocent. Sometimes, a person who is not guilty gets implicated.”
He reiterated that the government will ensure that no innocent person is framed in these cases. “We will do our job and she (Mayawati) is doing hers. We thank Mayawati-ji for her support and appreciate the fact that from her own accord she said that she will support the government from outside.”
A nationwide Bharat Bandh was observed by Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes associations on April 2 last year to protest against the Supreme Court order on the SC/ST Act, and urging the government to strengthen the Atrocities Act.
In Bhopal, Law Minister Sharma told The Indian Express, “Only those cases lodged during political agitations will be withdrawn. Some people were booked (in connection with the April 2 call) even though they were not present on the spot,” Sharma.
Asked repeatedly whether all cases, including those related to murder and vandalism, will be withdrawn, the minister said, “Only those related to political agitations”. He later said that “even serious cases will be reviewed”, but did not elaborate.
At 114, the Congress tally in the 230-member MP House is two short of a simple majority. The government has support of four Independents, two BSP and one SP MLA. The BJP has 109 legislators.
After he was allotted the Law portfolio on December 29, Sharma had said that cases lodged against Congress workers, government officers and employees who took part in anti-government agitations during the previous BJP governments will be withdrawn.
After Mayawati’s warning to the two Congress-led state governments on Monday, the MP government widened the scope on withdrawal of cases to include all anti-BJP parties, as well as organisations such as the Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA). On Tuesday, Sharma said even cases against NBA leaders like Medha Patkar will be withdrawn.
The government has not given any deadline when this process will begin.
Congress spokesperson Bhupendra Gupta alleged that the earlier BJP government had slapped several cases against Congress leaders and workers for taking part in agitations but was soft on BJP cadres, even though they were “involved in serious cases”.
Criticising the move, the BJP said law and order should be kept outside the ambit of politics. “In the garb of withdrawing political cases, the Congress will also withdraw cases against criminals close to the party,” BJP spokesperson Rahul Kothari said. Calling it a “political gimmick”, he said trials related to deaths and other serious offences should be left for courts to decide.
In Jaipur, Gehlot also said that Congress president Rahul Gandhi will soon hold a farmers’ rally in Rajasthan, and the party will put pressure on the Centre to waive farm loans.
On April 2 last year, several Dalit organisations had taken out protests in Rajasthan, many of which turned violent in districts such as Alwar, Barmer, Sikar and Karauli. At places, people in favour of the bandh clashed with anti-reservation groups, resulting in loss and damage to property. A Dalit man had died in alleged police firing in Alwar district, where parts of Khairthal police station were torched by protesters.
In retaliatory action in Hindaun the following day, upper caste groups allegedly clashed with Dalits; houses of then BJP MLA Rajkumari Jatav and former Congress MLA Bharosi Lal Jatav were set on fire.
