Opinion | Jail’s Jain TV: Minister, Massage and Meals
BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala released the video that showed Jain sitting on his bed inside a cell having a meal with appetizers, and moving on to salads and nutritious food items.
A day after it was revealed that a jail inmate charged with rape of a girl under the POCSO Act was working as a masseur for Delhi minister Satyendar Jain, BJP on Wednesday released another video of Jain having a sumptuous food brought from outside in Tihar jail.
BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala released the video that showed Jain sitting on his bed inside a cell having a meal with appetizers, and moving on to salads and nutritious food items. The video shows a man coming inside his cell, serving him food and placing a dustbin near him. As visual and social media flashed the video, posters appeared in Mumbai’s Marine Drive, saying “Aam Aadmi gets Khas Service, Massage gives the Wrong Message”.
On Tuesday, Jain’s lawyer had claimed in court that he was not getting proper food and had lost 28 kg weight. But an official of Tihar jail rejected this claim and said, Jain has gained 8 kg weight till now. On Wednesday, Jain’s lawyer again raised the ‘leak’ of videos and said headings are being flashed in media saying ‘Tihar jail has become a massage parlour’. The court directed the Tihar Jail authorities to file a reply soon for a hearing at 2 pm on Thursday on the food issue. The court also sought a medical report from Tihar jail authorities for a hearing on Monday.
While releasing the video, BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala tweeted: “One more video from media! After taking maalish from the rapist and calling him a PHYSIO therapist, Satyendra Jain can be seen enjoying a sumptuous meal! Attendants serve him food as if he is in a resort on vacation! Kejriwal ji ensured that Hawalabaaz gets VVIP maza not saza!”. BJP has demanded that Jain should be dismissed from the cabinet and shifted to another jail.
The most surprising part is that Satyendar Jain has all along been claiming that it was a physiotherapist massaging him, but Tihar jail officials identified him as a jail inmate named Rinku, who was arrested last year on the charge of raping an adolescent girl. He had been booked under POCSO Act and was lodged in a ward near Jain’s cell.
After the masseur’s identity came to light, BJP alleged that the AAP government has converted the Tihar jail into a ‘spa and massage party’. Delhi deputy CM Manish Sisodia had blamed BJP for questioning the physiotherapy of Jain in Tihar jail and had claimed that Jain was injured and was giving physiotherapy inside the jail.
Speculations are rife that another video is going to be released showing Jain’s wife entering the prison cell and feeding her husband. There are reports of another video of Jain holding a meeting with AAP workers inside the jail. Jain’s lawyer had pleaded before the court on Tuesday that Tihar jail authorities should be directed to ensure that no more CCTV footage of Jain inside the jail is ‘leaked’.
In its reply, Enforcement Directorate’s lawyer said that the videos have not been leaked by ED officials nor will they be leaked in the future. The ED lawyer said that the footage may have been leaked when a pen drive of the video was given to Jain’s lawyer. The most interesting part is that Jain’s lawyer did not remark even once inside the court that the leakage of the ‘massage’ video was unjustified.
Some details about the jail inmate who massaged Jain. Rinku is accused of raping an adolescent girl and has been booked under POCSO Act and under sections 376, 506 and 509 of IPC. He is not a para medical expert or physiotherapist. The question arises: How come a jail undertrial, charged of a heinous crime like rape, was allowed to provide massage to a Delhi minister? BJP spokesman Gaurav Bhatia asked whether AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal is providing cover to a rapist? Bhatia asked, how can one accused give a massage to another accused?
Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said, “those who were claiming to cleanse Indian politics, have changed colours so soon. Kejriwal was claiming that the masseur was a physiotherapist, but he is a rapist.” Another Congress leader Alka Lamba demanded that Kejriwal must tender an apology and dismiss Satyendar Jain. AAP leader and Delhi minister Gopal Rai rubbished the allegation and said, “this is a clear attempt to defame our party, because the people of Delhi are going to give BJP a treatment on December 4 MCD polling day”.
The question is: if a jail inmate, that too a rape accused, is giving a massage to a minister, and the minister’s party says it is a ‘conspiracy’ on part of the BJP, then one must differentiate between ‘maalish’ (massage) and ‘saazish’ (conspiracy). Now that it is known who was the masseur, it is pertinent to point out that two days ago Kejriwal was describing this as a ‘treatment’. Today it is clear that it was neither ‘treatment’ nor a ‘therapy’, but an undertrial prisoner giving a massage to the minister on his head, toes and backside. Nobody from AAP is explaining how a so-called physiotherapist is, in fact, a rapist. The moot question is: Why is Arvind Kejriwal defending Satyendar Jain for these serious lapses? This question needs to be answered by Kejriwal.
There was another bad news for AAP on Tuesday. AAP MLA Gulab Singh Yadav was thrashed and abused by his party workers, and he had to flee. He went to a police station and filed an FIR, but other party workers also reached the police station and filed a counter FIR alleging that Yadav has misbehaved with a female AAP worker.
Gulab Singh Yadav was holding a party meeting in Shyam Vihar in connection with the MCD polls. During the meeting, some workers alleged that tickets were sold by the MLA. They chanted slogans like ‘Chor, Chor’ (thief). The party workers shoved and slapped the MLA, and showered abuses. The MLA had to run for his life.
One AAP worker Sumit Shoukeen alleged that the MLA had taken Rs 1 crore for giving a party ticket. This infuriated the MLA and a slanging match ensued. In the last MCD elections, AAP had given Sumit Shokeen a ticket from Chhawla ward, but after delimitation, the seat’s name was changed to Nangli Sakrawati ward. Sumit was seeking a party ticket for his wife Jyoti Shokeen. He claimed that he had given bribe to party leaders, but the party gave the ticket to another lady, Geetu Shokeen. This led to the altercation at the party workers' meeting.
In the evening, the MLA tweeted and laid the blame on BJP. He said the fracas took place at the instigation of a local BJP councillor. He alleged that the local BJP candidate went to the police station to protect those who beat him up. But Jyoti Shokeen, ticket aspirant and wife of Sumit Shokeen, told India TV that her husband had been working for AAP for the last eight years, but the MLA took the bribe and gave the ticket to another lady. She also alleged that the MLA misbehaved with her, and, in return, she slapped the MLA.
While AAP workers are engaged in fisticuffs and beating up their MLA, the blame is again being laid on the door of the BJP. Delhi minister Gopal Rai said that BJP has started working on an agenda to defame Kejriwal and his party by circulating sting videos. BJP leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa compared Kejriwal to Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi. He said, Gaddafi’s lust for money made him a psychopath, and Kejriwal is following the same route.
This is the third case involving cash-for-ticket in AAP in recent days. In all three cases, those who exposed the ‘kattar imaandaar’ (upright and honest) AAP leaders were the party workers themselves. But all these allegations seem to be having no impact on Kejriwal. He is unwilling to accept evidence that his party leaders are taking bribes in exchange for tickets.
Like Delhi, Kejriwal said the same thing in Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat. He is claiming that his party is going to win in Gujarat and Delhi, and that is why he is being made the target through stings and videos. Kejriwal is unable to explain why his own party men are doing these sting operations? Why his own party workers are giving statements against their leaders? Why his party workers are thrashing and abusing MLAs? There is a stony silence on part of Kejriwal.
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