On March 10, 2023, Rajasthan police arrested BJP leader Kirodi Lal Meena and the wives of three Pulwama martyrs from Jaipur. The widows of the three slain soldiers were sitting in protest outside Congress MLA Sachin Pilot’s residence when they were detained in the wee hours of Friday.
The BJP leader reportedly sustained injuries while he was resisting the arbitrary action of the Rajasthan police. He was referred to Jaipur’s SMS Hospital. The BJP leader, notably, has been at the forefront to help the widows of the Pulwama martyrs to get their due compensation promised by the Congress govt in Rajasthan. He had accompanied the widows of the 2019 Pulwama attack martyrs to the protest site.
#BREAKING
— TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) March 10, 2023
BJP MP Kirodi Lal Meena reportedly sustains injury after he clashed with cops. He has been referred to Jaipur’s SMS Hospital.
For last few days, he was protesting with the widows of Pulwama martyrs against the Rajasthan govt.@bhanwarpushpen2 | @PriyaBahal22 pic.twitter.com/TzQljd7Reh
Speaking to the media after the arrest, BJP leader Meena said, “The police tried to kill me, but I was saved by the blessings of the brave women, the youth, the unemployed, and the poor. I am hurt. I have been referred to Sawai Man Singh Hospital in Jaipur from Govindgarh Hospital.”
“Why is the government so afraid of 3 women warriors that the police picked them up overnight? Don’t know where they have been taken? The women are only pleading to meet Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot ji. Why is the chief minister so nervous to hear them?” Meena told reporters.
According to reports, the three women were detained by the Rajasthan police at around 3 am when BJP MP Kirodi Lal Meena, who was supporting the protest by the widows, had gone to his residence, one of his close aides said. Later, Meena left to meet the wives of the martyrs but was stopped by Samod police falling under Chomu town in the Jaipur district.
“I was going to visit Samod Balaji with my supporters, but Samod police stopped me and abused and manhandled me. Is standing with the wives of martyrs such a big crime that the @ashokgehlot51 government is behaving like this with a people’s representative?” Meena tweeted in Hindi.
मैं अपने समर्थकों के साथ सामोद बालाजी के दर्शन करने जा रहा था, लेकिन सामोद थाना पुलिस ने मुझे रोका और मेरे साथ दुर्व्यवहार व हाथापाई की। क्या वीरांगनाओं के साथ खड़ा होना इतना बड़ा गुनाह है कि @ashokgehlot51 सरकार एक जनप्रतिनिधि के साथ इस तरह का आचरण कर रही है? pic.twitter.com/OqkuLH2ZcB
— Dr.Kirodi Lal Meena (@DrKirodilalBJP) March 10, 2023
He added in a tweet, “Sitting on a dharna outside the SEZ police station. The government will not be able to suppress the voice of the martyrs’ wives on the strength of the police. An autocratic and dictatorial government will be resisted with more force.”
Notably, the widows have been protesting to get their due compensation promised by the Congress govt in Rajasthan since February 28. They have demanded a change in rules so that their relatives and not just children can get government jobs on compassionate grounds. Their other demands include the construction of roads and the installation of statues of the martyrs in their villages. The Congress-led Rajasthan government and the widows of Pulwama martyrs have, however, reached a deadlock over the demands.
Video of Rajasthan police manhandling Pulwama martyrs’ wives goes viral, NCM takes cognisance
Amidst the deadlock, the Rajasthan police have been receiving severe criticism for the insensitivity it has shown in handling the issue.
In fact, on March 9, 2023, the National Commission for Women (NCW) took cognisance of the video that went viral on social media on March 4, showing Rajasthan cops, working at the behest of the Congress govt, assaulting the widows of 2019 Pulwama attack martyrs.
आज तीनों वीरांगनाओं के साथ राज्यपाल महोदय @KalrajMishra जी को ज्ञापन देने राजभवन गया था। ज्ञापन सौंपने के बाद वीरांगनाएं मुख्यमंत्री जी से मिलने के लिए मुख्यमंत्री आवास की ओर पहुँची तो पुलिस ने उनके साथ अभद्रता व मारपीट की।
— Dr.Kirodi Lal Meena (@DrKirodilalBJP) March 4, 2023
1/2 pic.twitter.com/OyG5DKFVRs
In the video, a huge group of Rajasthan police, mostly female officers, can be seen manhandling and dragging three women protesting against the unfulfilled promises made by the Ashok Gehlot Govt.
According to reports, the women were protesting against the unfulfilled promises on part of the state government and were on their way to meet CM Ashok Gehlot when they were dragged and thrashed by Rajasthan cops. Reports said that some women protesters were injured during the face-off while a few of them had fallen sick.
CM Ashok Gehlot accuses BJP of using the martyrs’ wives for political mileage
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Tuesday targeted the BJP, saying some of its leaders were disrespecting the widows of martyrs and using them to gain political mileage.
Without directly naming BJP Rajya Sabha MP Kirodi Lal Meena, who has been sitting on a dharna with the widows of the martyrs, Gehlot said in a statement, “Some BJP leaders are disrespecting the wives of the martyrs by using them to gain political mileage. This has never been the tradition in Rajasthan. I condemn it.”
