Dalit campaigner threatens stir over attack on RTI activist

Dalit rights campaigner Jignesh Mevani has alleged that former BJP MP Dinu Solanki was behind the attack on RTI activist Mahesh Makwana, and threatened to launch a stir if the Gujarat government does not take stern action in the case.

According to Mevani, 36-year-old Makwana was attacked by accomplices of Solanki and his nephew Shiva Solnaki at Kodinar town of Gir-Somnath district on December 12. Following this, Makwana has been undergoing treatment at Rajkot civil hospital for broken limbs, he said.

Both Solanki and Shiva were charge-sheeted by the CBI in connection with the murder of another Kodinar-based RTI activist Amit Jethwa in 2010, and they are now out on bail.
 

"Just like Jethwa, Makwana has filed several RTI queries to expose the illegal mining inside the forest area by Solanki and Shiva. Out of grudge, Makwana was brutally thrashed by some men sent by the duo on December 12 at Kodinar," Mevani alleged at a press conference here last evening.

Mevani, who spearheaded the campaign for justice over Una Dalit flogging incident, alleged that the Kodinar police have not named Solanki and Shiva as co-accused in the FIR lodged by Makwana ude to their political clout.

"Despite Makwana's complaint that he was attacked at the behest of Solanki duo, police did not mention their names as co-accused for hatching conspiracy," he said.

He demanded that state government intervene in the matter or else face the wrath of Dalits, OBCs and Muslims.

"We want government to form an SIT to probe the matter and extern Solanki duo from Kodinar immediately. If that does not happen, Dalits, OBCs and Muslims will launch a state-wide stir. We will also do a 'gherao' of Kodinar police station if action is not taken against the duo," Mevani said.

While the Solankis could not be reached for their comments on the allegation against them, local police today said no one will be spared if their names emerge during the probe.

As Makwana hails from a Dalit community, the prob has been handed over to Deputy Superintendent of Police(DySP), SC/ST Cell, P S Valvi.

"There is absolutely no political pressure on me. Action can be taken against anybody if we find their involvement in the case. Our investigation in the case is totally unbiased," said Valvi.