Video shows BJP MLA kicking woman, says it was self defense
AHMEDABAD: A video of Naroda BJP MLA Balram Thawani kicking a woman — a ward-in-charge of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) — after she had fallen on the ground went viral on Sunday. Thawani and his aides are seen beating the woman, Nitu Tejwani, during a scuffle. Apparently, the woman had gone to Thawani’s office in Kubernagar area and threatened to sit on dharna outside his office if two days time was not given to some affected residences and offices before their water supply line was cut. The local BJP councillor, Balaram’s brother Kishor Thawani had last week gone to supervise the disconnection of an allegedly illegal water connection near Maya Cinema, from where the dispute had started. Allegedly, Kishor had heckled a person who was shooting a video of his actions.
Thawani did not deny that the incident had taken place. “I had not intended to do so, but I was heckled by a group and while defending myself, I kicked her by mistake,” Thawani said. The video shows Thawani in an orange kurta kicking the woman. Another person in a white kurta, besides Thawani is seen slapping the woman. Allegedly Nitu’s husband, Rajesh Tejwani was also heckled by Thawani’s men.
On Sunday, Nitu had gone to meet Thawani and had decided to sit on a dharna outside his office. “I had gone there to seek two days’ time from the MLA before the water supply line was cut,” said Nitu. “But soon Thawani and his men resorted to force to evict us. We were slapped , some even came with hockey sticks. I felt humiliated,” she said.
गुजरात के विद्यायक महिला को लाते मारते हुए :
— Jignesh Mevani (@jigneshmevani80) June 2, 2019
अहमदाबाद के नरोडा ईलाके में पानी की किल्लत की शिकायत करने गई एक महिला को गुजरात भाजपा के 'माननीय' विधायक बलराम थावानी ने खुलेआम बेरहमी के साथ पिटा ! @dgpgujarat, @AhmedabadPolice आप तुरंत गिरफ्तारी कीजिए! यह हरगिज नहीं चलेगा! pic.twitter.com/6mV7EmC6KV
DCP Zone 4 Neeraj Badgujar told TOI, “I have seen the video on a news channel and I am yet to receive a formal a complaint in this issue.”
Thawani, however, said that he had already requested the Meghaninagar police inspector for intervention as the woman and 25 others had planned to sit on a dharna outside his office. “I had already informed Meghaninagar PI regarding the protest,” Thawani said.
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Ensure paid holiday for postal staff on polling day in Kerala: John Brittas writes to Scindia
New Delhi (PTI): CPI(M) Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas on Sunday wrote to Union Minister of Communications Jyotiraditya Scindia, seeking his urgent intervention to ensure that postal employees in Kerala are granted a statutory paid holiday on April 9 for the Assembly elections in the southern state.
In his letter, Brittas expressed serious concern over the Kerala Postal Circle’s instructions to treat all postal employees as “absentee voters in essential services (AVES)”, directing them to opt for a postal ballot within an “extremely limited” timeframe.
The Department of Posts operates under the Ministry of Communications. Along with the Department of Telecommunications, it is one of the two main sections within the ministry headed by Scindia.
In his letter, Brittas pointed out that the circular dated March 19 required the collection of Form 12D by March 20 (Eid al-Fitr), and submission of the compiled details at the respective collectorates by March 22 (Sunday), both holidays in Kerala, making meaningful compliance difficult and raising apprehensions about the “arbitrary” nature of the directions.
The CPI(M) leader also pointed out that the Election Commission, in a communication dated March 16, reiterated the requirement under Section 135B of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, that every person employed in any establishment and entitled to vote shall be granted a paid holiday on the polling day, without any deduction or abatement of wages.
He said even where certain services are treated as essential, the long-standing administrative practice has been to maintain only minimal required operations on polling day, without denying employees the opportunity to vote in person.
Brittas argued that in some other states going to polls this month, including Assam, most postal employees have been granted a holiday on polling day, in accordance with the statutory provisions.
During the 2021 Kerala polls, postal establishments had observed a holiday on polling day, subject only to limited essential arrangements, he claimed.
The present deviation, Brittas said, raises concerns about inconsistency in the application of law and the avoidable curtailment of the democratic rights of employees.
Stating that the right to vote lies at the core of India's democratic framework, Brittas urged Scindia to examine the matter urgently.
“Given the proximity of the polling date, I earnestly seek your kind indulgence to have the matter examined on priority, and to issue urgent directions to the postal authorities in Kerala to ensure that the statutory entitlement of postal employees in Kerala to a paid holiday on the day of polling is duly ensured,” Brittas said in the letter.
The 140 seats in the Kerala Assembly will go to polls on April 9, and the results will be out on May 4.
