Conspicuous absence of politicians at funeral of slained ex - home minister Haren Pandya’s father.
Slained former minister of home for Gujarat Haren Pandya's father, Vitthal Pandya, who was 82, died here on Saturday. Popularly known as 'Vitthalkaka' he shot to limelight after he took on the powers that be in pursuit of justice for the death of his son Haren, allegedly killed by terrorists in 2003.
Pandya, was at loggerheads with chief minister Narendra Modi and had actively led a campaign seeking justice for his son. Pandya, took his last breath at Jivraj Mehta Hospital where he was admitted on Friday night.
Despite being an activist of sorts who fought couple of electoral battles, though in vain, no prominent BJP or Congress workers or leaders showed up to pay homage to him. His last rites were performed amid presence of a few people including close relatives and Haren Pandya's friends.
Pandya Sr's body was donated to the NHL medical college on Saturday evening. Condolence meeting for Pandya will be held on Monday morning between 8.30 am and 10.30 am at his residence in Shardakunj society, besides Vikas Gruh, in Paldi area.
"He was hospitalised as he was suffering from Pneumonia. Though he was considered to be recovering, we were shocked to see him breath his last at around noon," said Mehul Pancholi, grandson of Vitthal Panya.
Jagruti Pandya and Namra, wife and son of Haren Pandya, came to pay homage to the most elder member of the family. Vitthal Pandy was residing with his daughter Chhaya at the Shardakunj society in Paldi.
Vitthal Pandya had raised question over the terrorist conspiracy theory put forward by the state police over killing of his son Haren. He raised this issue at different forums and alleged political hand in murder of his son. He also moved petition before the court and CBI to find out the real culprits. "This is the reason politicians and many a party workers were afraid of coming for his last rites," observed one of the close associates of Pandya.
The probe of Haren Pandya's murder was carried out by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) which revealed that, Asgar Ali and others killed Pandya, as part of a conspiracy to kill top leaders of BJP and avenge the 2002 riots.
However, Vitthal Pandya was never satisfied with this finding. However, last year Haren Pandya's wife Jagruti Pandya, had written a letter to chief minister Narendra Modi to reinvestigate Pandya case and interrogate IPS officer Abhay Chudasama and DG Vanzara.
Jagruti wrote two page letter after Azam Khan, a witness in the Sohrabuddin fake encounter case, gave statement to the CBI that Abhay Chudasama had promised Sohrabuddin to save him in Haren Pandya murder case. The statement suggested that, Sohrabuddin and Chudasama were aware of the conspiracy to kill Pandya.
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