NEW DELHI: A hundred and twenty five persons including Congress (I) workers and policemen were injured in a clash with police outside the residence of eminent jurist and Rajya Sabha member Ram Jethmalani,
Congress (I) workers had gathered at Jethmalani government house on Gandhi Marg at 9:30 a.m. on April 7 with the intention of storming the house.
Jethmalani a prominent lawyer had represented Satwant Singh, Simiranjit Singh Mann and other prominent Sikhs. He has also caused considerable embarrassment to the Rajiv government by disclosing details of bribes in armament purchases.
The Congress (I) workers came in Tempo’s and trucks and had brought stones and bricks with them. These used against the police who prevented them from entering the house, The police lathi charged the mob and dispersed it. The entire drama lasted 20 minutes in which the policemen were also injured. The incident took place when Jethmalani was not in Delhi but was at Bombay. Only two servants were at home when the Congress (I) workers tried to storm the house.
The attack came in the wake of a statement in Rajya Sabha and articles in the press by Jethmalani criticizing the Prime Minister Rajiy Gandhi.
On Monday Ram Jethmali refuted government allegations and challenged the members on treasury benches to a debate on Khalistan. He said that he “will prove that Gandhi was the biggest supporters of Khalistan” in the course of such a debate. He also produced documents including his speeches and an interview he had given to a weekly newspaper Nai Dunya on March 12. There also he had said that Rajiv Gandhi is the biggest Khalistani.
The attempt to storm Jethmalani residence also comes in the wake of a speech by the prime minister at the convention of National Students Union of India in which he had said that opposition is supporting the enemies of India.
Article extracted from this publication >> April 14, 1989
