Man on 'dharna' booked for drying undergarments in open

In what appeared to be an intimidatory tactic, authorities in Uttar Pradesh's Muzaffarnagar district booked an anti-corruption activist who has been on 'dharna' for 24 years demanding action against the land mafia, for insulting the modesty of women by "drying" his "undergarments in the open"

Master Vijay had been holding a 'dharna' inside the Collectorate since February 26, 1996 to protest against the failure of the administration to free hundreds of acres of government land illegally occupied by the land mafia in the district. According to reports, he was forcibly evicted by the authorities.

Singh was booked under section 509 of the (IPC) Indian Penal Code (to insult the modesty of any woman through words, sound or gesture, or exhibits). It provides for a punishment with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years, and along with a fine.

Reports said that Singh was evicted from the 'dharna' site a couple of days back. After that, he started his 'dharna' at a corner near a post office at Shiv Chowk locality in the town.

"The authorities threatened to send me to jail if I did not call off my dharna... I wish they had shown the same alacrity in evicting the land mafia from the government land," Singh said.

"You (authorities) may hang me but I will continue my fight," Singh said, adding that the undergarments being dried in the open did not belong to him.

The action against Singh drew criticism from different quarters.

Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait slammed the district authorities for booking Singh and said that his organisation would support him in his fight. "This is ridiculous... Singh is fighting for a just cause," he added.