Victim’s kin claim Joshi hit them; minister rubbishes allegations

Jaipur: A day after a 47-year-old man ended his life and blamed cabinet minister Mahesh Joshi along with others for halting his house’s construction work in Chandi ki Taksal area, his family on Tuesday alleged that they had gone to meet the minister but he asked them to leave his house while making casteist remarks.
Deceased Ram Prasad Meena’s son Abhishek alleged that his father was deeply hurt after they went to meet Joshi a few days ago and the minister allegedly kicked a family member. “He (minister) kicked my grandmother and made offensive remarks,” he said.
Joshi, however, denied allegations during a presser at his official residence in the Civil Lines area. “All these allegations are false. I did not misbehave with the deceased’s family,” he said, adding there are CCTVs to attest the truth.
Meena had also shot a video before he hanged himself wherein he blamed Joshi and others for harassing him. Police filed an FIR against Joshi and others for abetment to suicide. Meena’s family alleged that the family was constructing a house behind the temple, for which they have a patta, but some people colluded to halt the work.
Joshi replied that some people had informed him that illegal construction was underway in the temple complex and he asked authorities to halt the work.
“The temple is 260 years old. It was a sensitive case. When there are two opposing claims, it is normal practice to halt any kind of work till documents are being examined so that justice could be done,” Joshi said. The deceased’s family, on the other hand, claimed that the civic authorities turned a blind eye to the construction of the hotel nearby.
Joshi claimed that he was not aware of the hotel or the house in question. “I have not visited the temple recently. I don’t even know where the deceased’s house is located exactly. The temple’s priest had met me on Saturday where he gave a written complaint,” he said, adding that he never received any complaint from Meena’s family.