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 :
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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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Nashik TCS case: Accused Nida Khan held in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar
Nashik (PTI): Weeks after she went into hiding, a female employee of the TCS unit in Nashik, accused in a case related to alleged religious conversion and sexual harassment of some women colleagues, has been arrested, police said.
Nida Khan was held on Thursday in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Nashik Police Commissioner Sandeep Karnik said.
Khan is an accused in the Deolali Camp police station crime register number 156/26 here, he said.
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Nashik police is probing nine cases of molestation and harassment at the IT major’s Nashik unit.
It had arrested eight persons, including a female operations manager, by registering nine FIRs after allegations of exploitation, attempt of forceful conversion, hurting religious sentiments, molestation and mental harassment of female employees at the TCS unit came to light.
The SIT had launched a search for Khan in different parts of Maharashtra. She is accused of targeting employees in a WhatsApp group, pressuring them to pray and eat non-vegetarian food.
According to the FIR, Khan allegedly advised women employees to dress and behave in accordance with Islamic traditions.
Some complainants have also alleged that they were coerced or pressured into adopting religious practices, including praying, changing dietary habits, and adopting religious symbols.
Besides Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) provisions for sexual harassment and defamation, Khan has also been booked under relevant sections of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, as the complainant belongs to a Scheduled Caste.
On April 18, she had moved the Nashik court seeking anticipatory bail and interim protection from arrest pending the plea hearing, citing her pregnancy. Her anticipatory bail plea was rejected by a court here on May 2.
TCS has clarified that it has adopted a zero-tolerance policy towards harassment and coercion of any form for a long time, and the employees allegedly involved in sexual harassment at the Nashik office have been suspended.
