Journalist's arrest under SC/ST Act triggers row

Jaipur: Ahead of chief minister Vasundhara Raje’s Rajasthan Gaurav Yatra in Jodhpur division, which includes Barmer district, the arrest of a journalist has not just brought up differences within the ruling BJP, but also raised questions over the misuse of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevent-ion of Atrocities) Act.

The journalist, Durg Singh Rajpurohit, was arrested for allegedly beating and abusing Rakesh Paswan, a dalit. Last Saturday, he was sent to Patna, where he is currently lodged in jail.

BJP MLA from Sheo and son of former Union minister Manvendra Singh condemned the arrest of the journalist. He called it a conspiracy and an attack on the fourth pillar of the dem-ocracy. The comment has put him at odds with fellow party leader Priyanka Choudhary.

Mr Rajpurohit’s family alleged that he has been framed by local BJP leader Priyanka Choudhary.

She is currently the UTI chairman and had contested the Assembly election on a BJP ticket in 2013. She has, however, denied any role in the arrest of the journalist.

The BJP is likely to face heat in the wake of Mr Rajpurohit’s arrest under the SC/ST Act.

During the Bharat Bandh organised by dalits to protest the Supreme Court verdict on the SC/ST Act, the general castes, especially by Rajput Karni Sena outfit, had clashed with them in Barmer.

The BJP is likely to face heat in the wake of Mr Rajpurohit’s arrest under the SC/ST Act as people have been blaming it for overturning the Supreme Court verdict, which, in their belief, had put a stop to the misuse of the act.

Rakesh Paswan of Tetua in Nalanda district accused Mr Rajpurohit of not just usurping his wage of '72,000, but also of beating him and using casteist slur. The complaint had been filed on May 31.

However, Mr Rajpurohit’s supporters alleged that the arrest warrant was against one Durgesh Singh, whereas the arrested journalist is Durg Singh Rajpurohit.

A twist in the tale came when in an interview to a Hindi daily published from both Rajasthan and Bihar Mr Paswan said that he had not filed the complaint. In fact, he did not know any ‘Durgesh Singh’ from Barmer.