Under fire for continuing his speech even after a farmer, Gajendra Singh Kalyan, had committed suicide during the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)’s kisan rally in Jantar Mantar on Wednesday afternoon, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal accepted that “he made a mistake” and said he should not have gone ahead with the speech.
Kejriwal’s apology that came two days after the tragic incident, was, however, squarely rejected by Gajendra’s family who demanded a CBI probe into the incident.
“I made a mistake. I should have halted the rally,” said Kejriwal on Gajendra’s suicide. Kejriwal added that he was to deliver an hour-long speech which he then shortened to 15 minutes. “Probably I should not have spoken. If that has hurt anyone’s sentiments I would like to apologise,” he said. The Delhi CM, however, maintained that the focus should not shift from the “real” problems being faced by farmers in the country.
The bereaved kin of 41-year-old Gajendra refused to accept Kejriwal’s apology. “What will happen now after this apologyIJ My brother has died. Kejriwal did not stop the rally for even two minutes after the incident,” the farmer’s sister Rekha said at his native village Nangal Jhamarwada in Dausa district of Rajasthan.
Alleging a conspiracy behind her brother’s tragic death, she said, “He might have been provoked. Some conspiracy may be behind this.”
While talking to NDTV, Gajendra’s 70-year-old mother Shakuntala retorted to Kejriwal’s apology. “Can an apology bring my son backIJ If so, I fall at your feet and beg for forgiveness, now let that bring my son back to me,” she said.
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh had on Thursday said AAP supporters “clapped and raised slogans” as Gajendra stood with a gamcha (muffler) around his neck, the other end of which was tied to a branch of the tree he had climbed.
The Delhi Police’s FIR too alleged they “instigated” the farmer to commit suicide and thwarted their attempts to save him.
Gajendra’s uncle, Gopal Singh, the village Sarpanch, demanded a CBI probe into the incident.
“We have doubts about this incident and demand a CBI enquiry in the case. We have asked (State) Minister Rajendra Rathore to take up this matter with Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh,” Gopal Singh said.
Referring to the turf war between Delhi Police and his Government over a parallel Magisterial probe, Kejriwal said he was prepared to file his statement to the police, if needed.
Kejriwal’s statement drew flak from former Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit who tagged his statement over the suicide as “irresponsible” and said, “He should stop this blame game now. It is time that he started playing the CM’s role and stopped acting like the Opposition. The administration doesn’t work like this. He must behave like a CM and not the Opposition.”