Don't regret bat attack but will follow Mahatma's path of non-violence in future: Vijayvargiya
Indore, Jul 01: BJP MLA Akash Vijayvargiya, who was released on bail in an assault case Sunday, said he did not regret the incident but would try to follow Mahatma Gandhi's path of non-violence while raising public issues in future.
The first-time MLA was caught on camera assaulting municipal officer Dhirendra Singh Bais with a cricket bat on June 26 while opposing the demolition of a dilapidated house in Ganji Compound area of the city.
He was arrested four days ago and a Bhopal-based court on Saturday granted him bail. He walked out of the jail Sunday morning.
Akash, son of BJP general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya, said the step (of assaulting a civic official with cricket bat) was taken "thoughtfully and with full responsibility".
He, however, said that he prays to God that he does not have to repeat the act in future.
Talking to reporters after coming out of the jail here, the 34-year-old MLA said, "Let me tell you that the action we took on that day was taken thoughtfully and with full responsibility."
"A woman was being pulled by her legs in the presence of police. The poor and helpless family was being evacuated in the rainy season. Earth moving machines were pressed into service to demolish the house.
"I did what I felt right at that point of time. I did it thoughtfully. I do not have any regrets for that," he said.
"We will try to follow Gandhiji's path in future. I pray to God that I should not be given another opportunity to pick up the bat. I also appeal to all the youths that they should put forward their point of view by walking on Gandhiji's path of non-violence," Akash said.
Replying to a query on the incident, the legislator said, "Several thoughts were going on in my mind since the past few months... I had to take this step after much contemplation. This was unusual. We should always work with love and non-violence."
"We do not have any remorse about it (incident) because India is a democratic nation and public is supreme in a democracy," he stressed.
The BJP MLA also accused municipal officials of ignoring public representatives on legitimate issues related to common people.
"The officials forget that they get their salaries by taxes paid by the public from their hard-earned money. In a bid to please their seniors, the officers become so arrogant that they treat the public like insects, which cannot be tolerated by us," he added.
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'Someone must be held accountable': HC converts civil suit on Goa nightclub tragedy into PIL
Panaji (PTI): The Bombay High Court on Monday converted a civil suit against Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub into a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) saying "someone has to be held accountable" for the tragedy in which 25 people were killed.In a stern observation, Goa bench of the High Court of Justices Sarang Kotwal and Ashish Chavan said the local panchayat had "failed to take suo motu cognisance" of the club and had taken "no action despite complaints."
The division bench directed the Goa government to file a detailed reply on the permissions granted to the nightclub.
The High Court, while fixing January 8 as the next date of hearing, pointed out that commercial operations were continuing in the structure despite it having been served a demolition order.
The original petition was filed after the December 6 tragedy by Pradeep Ghadi Amonkar and Sunil Divkar, the owners of the land on which the nightclub was operating.
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Advocate Rohit Bras de Sa, the lawyer representing the petitioner, was made amicus curiae in the matter and has been asked to file a detailed affidavit in the matter.
In their petition, Amonkar and Divkar highlighted "the alarming pattern of statutory violations that have remained inadequately addressed despite multiple complaints, inspections, show-cause notices, and even a demolition order".
They contended that these violations posed "immediate threats to public safety, ecological integrity, and the rule of law in the state of Goa."
Investigations by multiple agencies into the nightclub fire have revealed various irregularities, including lack of permissions to operate the nightclub.
The Goa police arrested five managers and staff members of the club, while co-owners Gaurav Luthra and Saurabh Luthra have been detained in Thailand after they fled the country.
