JOIN USErred by not stopping speech during suicide: Kejriwal
An apologetic Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday said those responsible for Rajasthan farmer Gajendra Singh’s suicide at his rally here should be hanged, and admitted that he erred by not stopping his speech at the time of the incident.
Kejriwal offered all possible help to the victim’s kin, who are now demanding a “fair” probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation. Kejriwal, who did not attend office on Friday, criticised attempts to politicise the incident, and told a TV channel: “Probably I also committed a mistake.”
He also admitted he and his partymen did not expect that someone would commit suicide at Wednesday's rally at Jantar Mantar in the capital against the Central government’s land acquisition bill.
“Please stop the blame game. Whoever is guilty should be hanged or punished,” said Kejriwal, in the backdrop of two probes being launched into the suicide—by New Delhi District Magistrate Sanjay Kumar and the police.
Kumar briefed Kejriwal twice about his probe, and later said ads would be put out to invite witnesses to depose and attempts would be made to get video footage of the incident.
Meanwhile, the farmer’s family in Rajasthan’s Dausa district initially dismissed Kejriwal’s apology, claiming it would not bring Gajendra back, but a few hours later accepted AAP leader Sanjay Singh’s personal condolence and a financial help of Rs 10 lakh, according to agency reports from Jaipur.
During Sanjay Singh’s meeting with the farmer’s family, his mother and daughter reportedly demanded “martyr's status” for Gajendra and a job for a family member with the Delhi government.
AAP leader Ashutosh broke down on a TV news channel while admitting over the phone to Gajendra’s daughter that he was a “sinner” for not having been being able to save her father despite being present on the dais. The crying leader's images went viral on Twitter. Some social media comments slammed him for hypocrisy.