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RTI activist attacked in Rajkot

-The Times of India

RAJKOT: Right to Information (RTI) activist Natha Sukhadia, 38, a resident of Devaliya village of the Amreli taluka was attacked on Monday evening. Sukhadia, a farmer, alleged that the attack was carried out at the behest of agricultural minister and Amreli BJP MLA Dileep Sanghani. Sukhadia has filed a complaint against six people with the Amreli taluka police station. Bharat Kathi, Kishor Kathi, Ashok Kathi, Devendra Kathi, Bharat Jebaliya and Raghu Kathi have been named as the accused in the complaint. All of them are residents of Devaliya village.

However, Dileep Sanghani told TOI that the compliant was politically motivated. "All the allegations made against me by the complainant are baseless and supported by Congress MLA Bavku Undhad,'' Sanghani said.

R B Mirza, police sub-inspector at Amreli taluka police station, who registered the complaint, was transferred to headquarters within hours of the filing of the complaint.

"I was attacked on Sanghani's word because I have been using the RTI Act and have made representations at various levels about irregularities committed by Sanghani and his men in the district,'' Sukhadia said.

Sukhadia said that the six men attacked him at his farm on Monday at around 7 pm with baseball bats, swords and other lethal weapons. "Fearing for my life, I tried to run away but they intercepted me and beat me up," he said. "However, some villagers saw the assault and rushed to help me and the assailants fled."

Sukhadia further said: "When they attacked me, one of them said, 'Dileepbhai sathe vat thai gai chhe, tane puro kari devano chhe (We had a talk with Dileep Sanghani, and we will kill you)."

Sukhadia said he has been using the RTI Act for the past five years. "I have dug out acts of corruption in the works of Gujarat Land Development Corporation at various villages in the Amreli district involving Sanghani's men," he said. "I have sent all the details to chief ministerNarendra Modi and Central Vigilance Commission as well. Moreover, I have been leading a protest against a wall created by Sanghani and his brother at his farm in Vankia village which creates waterlogging in 300 acres of land around the farm." He said that just a week ago, he had handed over a memorandum to the collector. "And they had to remove the wall," he said.

Sukhadia said that he also sought details about the wealth of Sanghani and his family members after he became a minister.