Dalit family will return grant if justice is not delivered in four months: Jignesh Mevani

Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani on Wednesday announced that the Dalit ragpickers family would return the Rs 4 lakh compensation given to them if the government did not file a chargesheet in 3 weeks and complete the trial in 4 months. The government announced a compensation of Rs 8 lakh, of which 50% has already been paid.

Ragpicker Mukesh Vaniya died after he was flogged by some men who accused him of theft. His wife Jaya was also beaten up. The two along with one Savita were picking rags around Radadiya factory in Shapar village of Rajkot.

"We will start a crowdfunding to collect Rs 8 lakh for the family. The compensation is a ruse to ensure that the victims do not get justice," said Mevani.

He said a similar thing happened in Una and Thangadh where the victims got compensation, but no justice. The government needs to announce that it will file a chargesheet in three weeks and the trial will be completed in four months.

Mevani alleged that the victim's wife Jaya was also beaten severely. "A woman in our team was shown the injuries. The deceased's wife had injuries on her private parts too," said Mevani.

A delegation of Congress MLAs will meet the governor on the issue. Former minister Union congress minister Kumari Selja will also meet the Dalit family tomorrow. The party will also hold a dharna near Ambedkar statue in Sarangpur on Thursday.