Aruna Roy demands arrest of BJP MLA Kanwar Lal over attack in Rajasthan

Jaipur: Social activist Aruna Roy on Monday demanded the immediate arrest of BJP MLA Kanwar Lal Meena for allegedly leading a mob that attacked volunteers who were taking part in a road show in Jhalawar district of Rajasthan. Roy, who said she has sought time from chief minister Vasundhara Raje for taking up the matter with her, also expressed anguish at the state government’s response over the incident on Saturday. She further charged that the MLA has a “criminal background” as she sought his immediate arrest for the attack on members of the ‘jawabdehi (accountability) yatra’ without any reason. “There was no reason for the attack. Our members were peacefully conducting a ’nukkad natak’ in the Aklera market when suddenly the MLA came with a mob of around 30-50 people and hit them with batons in front of all,” claimed Roy. [caption id=“attachment_2589102” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Aruna Roy. File photo. Image courtesy: ibnlive[/caption] “A few policemen were standing at the spot but they refused to help our members… The MLA has a criminal background and ours is the 25th FIR against him. “How can a man with such a criminal background be given a ticket to become an MLA. This is not for a particular party, but all political parties should think about it,” she told reporters here, adding that they have “sought time from the chief minister to take up the issue”. Roy said that the aim of the yatra was to “take feedback from people on general issues of governance, like pension and other schemes”. “We are meeting people and telling them that what their right is,” she said. Meanwhile, police on Monday arrested seven more persons for their alleged involvement in the attack, taking the total number of those rounded up to 11. “The victims gave us a CD with a video of the incident. We are probing the matter and have arrested seven people. Four were arrested on the night of the incident and all of them are in police custody,” said SP (Jhalawar), Rajendra Singh. The role of the MLA is being probed and appropriate action will be taken, he added PTI