Mevani moves privilege motion against senior cop

Gandhinagar: Congress MLA from Vadgam constituency, Jignesh Mevani, moved a motion for breach of privilege against additional director general of police (SC-ST Cell) Rajkumar Pandian. Mevani wrote to the assembly speaker, seeking action against the police officer, who he claimed was "rude and arrogant with him when he visited his office on Tuesday".
Mevani said in the letter addressed to the speaker, Shankar Chaudhary, that he and state Congress SC cell chairman Hitendra Pithadiya visited Pandian's office on Tuesday afternoon to make a representation about issues concerning Dalits in the state.
"Pandian directed us to deposit our mobile phones outside his chamber, and when we sought to know under what rule this direction was issued, Pandian got enraged and asked his staff to take our phones, saying that we might be recording the conversation," Mevani alleged in the letter.
The MLA mentioned in the letter that he told Pandian he was "not behaving in a courteous manner with an MLA" and added that there is a protocol that officers have to courteously receive and see off elected representatives like MPs and MLAs who visit their offices.
"In response, Pandian retorted by saying that the meeting was over and that we should leave. He added that he will not give us another opportunity to visit his office. I told the police officer that I will keep coming here to make representations about issues concerning Dalits. If you refuse to hear me, I will have to approach the DGP, govt, and even approach the HC with a petition," Mevani said.
Mevani added that Pandian commented on his attire, saying that "despite being an MLA, I was wearing a T-shirt."
Arjun Modhwadia, who joined the BJP this March, too had moved a privilege motion against Pandian about 20 years ago. He was then a Congress leader and Pandian was Porbandar SP. Modhwadia had stated that Pandian misbehaved with him and his supporters.