Bhopal: After a warning was issued by Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati, the Kamal Nath-led state government has decided to take back cases lodged against protestors of anti-reservation movement. Law minister has affirmed the decision of the state government.
More than 5,500 cases were lodged during protests from April 2-12 in Gwalior and Chambal region. Three deaths were reported from Gwalior, the epicentre of the protest against ‘reservation in promotion.’ More than 100 cases were registered against 354 known and 715 unknown people in Gwalior alone.
Maximum numbers of cases have been reported from Bhind where cases have been registered against more than 2,600 unknown while 61 protestors have been named in the FIRs. Protests were intense in Morena district also. GRP (Government Railway Police) Morena lodged cases against 1200 protestors in two cases filed by the railway police.
The crowd had then protested and squatted at the railway tracks, pelted stones on the trains that passed by and some incidents of arson were also reported during the protests. Besides cases filed by the GRP, Morena police has also registered about 250 cases and made more than 700 accused.
Replying to a question, law minister PC Sharma said on Tuesday that cases lodged during reservation stir will be taken back by the state government. Modalities for taking back the cases have been started a report has been sought from the home department, he added. A law expert wishing anonymity said that taking back of serious cases of crime like arson and rioting will establish a wrong precedent.
Senior BSP leader Ram Achal Rajbhar said that he will meet the home minister and law minister very soon to urge them to expedite the process. According to sources, state government wants to roll back the cases against protestors before Lok Sabha elections to avail maximum advantage in polls.
