Suicide abetment charges: did AAP just paint itself into a corner?

The AAP was cornered on Thursday by allegations of inaction and a criminal complaint by the Delhi police.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh asserted that AAP volunteers “cheered” when a farmer committed suicide at a rally led by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal at Jantar Mantar here on Wednesday.

The AAP fought back, accusing Rajnath of “lying” in the Lok Sabha, that its party workers had “clapped and made noise” while Gajendra Singh, a farmer from Dausa in Rajasthan, hanged himself from a tree at the rally venue.

“The Home Minister is lying and giving misleading statements. It is the Union government’s ploy to target the AAP using Delhi police. The media recorded the incident as it happened and should put out the tapes in public to establish the truth,” party spokesperson Sanjay Singh said. The Kejriwal government wants the suicide to be probed by a magistrate while Delhi police has refused to cooperate with a judicial enquiry.

A letter written by Deputy Commissioner of Police Vijay Singh to the District Magistrate said: “It is informed that the incident quoted by you is the subject matter of the case FIR No 95/2015 under section 306, 186, 34 IPC registered at PS Parliament Street. Therefore, you have no jurisdiction regarding this matter.”

Blaming the AAP in its FIR, the police said some party volunteers would soon be arraigned in the case.

Boisterous crowd Describing the event in the FIR, the complainant policeman said that at around 12.50 pm on Wednesday, AAP leaders were making speeches. The crowd was boisterous and clapping loudly, and most of them were staring at a tree. The FIR further said the police tried to reach the spot. A message was sent through a wireless set to the control room and an appeal was made to the crowd not to egg the farmer on, but to bring him down safely.

“Neither those on stage (AAP leaders) nor AAP workers nor supporters helped us. After making a wireless call, an appeal was made to the public to clear the area and let the ERV (Emergency Response Vehicle) inside,” said the FIR. The city units of both the Congress and the BJP held demonstrations, demanding Kejriwal’s resignation.

The Congress also demanded a judicial probe into the incident. “When the police have been accused of inaction, they cannot hold an independent enquiry. A judicial enquiry should be held,” Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said.

Counter-attack The AAP, on its part, mounted a counter-attack, accusing Delhi police of inaction and refusal to save the farmer.

“You must have seen that we were requesting the police to rescue him. Please show the truth as to whether we have incited anyone. At least tell the truth on the floor of the House. You (the government) are using the plank of the police in your statement,” AAP leader Kumar Vishwas said at a press conference.

Meanwhile, Gajendra Singh’s family in Dausa too blamed the AAP for his suicide.

“He was not the kind of person who would commit suicide. The note that he left was an appeal to address his grievances. It was not a suicide note,” said his brother Virendra Singh.

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