)
Former Gujarat director general of police RB Sreekumar, who has joined Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Gujarat, on Friday "likened" party chief Arvind Kejriwal to 18th century social reformer Raja Ram Mohan Roy and said he was "leading a Renaissance movement in India".
The former to cop also accused BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi of being vindictive towards senior Gujarat police officers who had restrained rioters during the post-Godhra riots.
He also claimed he, along with IPS officer Rahul Sharma and suspended IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt, was a being victim to Modi's "vindictive" nature.
Sreekumar has been fighting a long standing legal battle against Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi accusing his being complacent to 2002 communal riots in Gujarat that claimed over 1,000 lives.
In the past decade after the post-Godhra riots, Sreekumar has made representations against Modi and his government in various forums including the Nanavati Commission set up by the state government and the special investigation team (SIT) constituted by the Supreme Court to probe some of the riot cases. His legal battle still continues.
"My reason for joining AAP is that I saw a ray of hope in Arvind Kejriwal. What Raja Ram Mohan Rai did in the 18th century for social reform, Kejriwal is doing the same. He is leading the renaissance movement of 21th century India," Sreekumar told mediapersons today.
He clarified that he had no political ambitions, but did not rule out possibility of contesting elections. Sreekumar further expressed concern over the political and social leaders in the country and said that India was passing through a rotten period.
On the clean chit to Modi by the lower court with regard to his alleged involved in 2002 riots, Sreekumar said that was not the case as the appeal was still pending in lower court. On the vindictive nature of Modi Sreekumar said, "Honest officer like Rahul Sharma who did not allow rioters to get a free hand in 2002 are being victimised for trivial reasons like spelling mistakes in reports. This is ridiculous."
