Anna supporters beaten up by Sri Ram Sene activists

www.mangaloretoday.com

New Delhi, October 13, 2011:  Activists of the Sri Ram Sene beat up supporters of Anna Hazare outside the Patiala House courts today. The police stood around as the violence took place. 

An elderly man, Rajkumar, has been severely beaten up. He has been taken to the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital along with two other injured people. Rajkumar’s granddaughter was one of the two little girls that helped Anna Hazare break his 13-day fast at the Ram Lila Maidan in August.   

The elderly man was among a few supporters of the Gandhian anti-corruption crusader who had gathered outside the court where three men of the Sri Ram Sene, who had attacked lawyer and Anna’s close aide Prashant Bhushan yesterday, were produced.

The three members of the saffron organization had barged into Mr Bhushan’s chamber yesterday while the latter was in the midst of a TV interview. They beat up Mr Bhushan, slapping and kicking him. He fell to the floor, his glasses fell near him, and his shirt was torn before other lawyers rushed in to help him.   

One of the men that attacked Mr Bhushan, Inder Verma, was arrested yesterday and the other two - Tejinder Pal Singh Bagga and Vishnu Verma - were apprehended from a place near Baba Kharak Singh Marg.

The three were produced at the Patiala House courts today and eventually sent to judicial custody for a day. In court, other members of the Sri Ram Sene raised loud slogans through the day. As the order sending their compatriots to judicial custody was given, they rushed out and attacked Anna’s supporters.

Mr Bhushan told NDTV, " What happened was unexpected and shocking. Fascist behaviour needs to be dealt with."
There’s nationwide outrage over the brutal attack on Mr Bhushan. People across the country have condemned it, saying it is "an attack on free speech." Home Minister P Chidambaram too condemned the attack and sent a representative to meet Mr Bhushan at hospital. He also discussed the attack with Delhi Police Commissioner BK Gupta.

Mr Bhushan said the attackers told him they belonged to the Sri Ram Sene - a right-wing Hindu extremist group which shot into notoriety in 2009 after its activists attacked young women at a pub in Mangalore.

On Facebook, a page for the Bhagat Singh Kranti Sena claimed responsibility. "We hit Prashant Bhushan hard in his chamber in supreme court," a post declared. As he was led away, the assailant who was arrested said they had gone to talk to Mr Bhushan about a position he had taken on the Kashmir issue. "We will not let anyone insult our martyrs," he said. The Bhagat Singh Kranti Sena is a self-proclaimed "task force against traitors, anti-nationals and the corrupt". They also claim they are "a team of guys who are crazy for the nation and those who can do anything for the nation."

Courtesy: NDTV