BJP man’s death gives birth to controversy

The fact that the victim and the accused are all from the BJP was bad enough for the party. Now, when the Rajkot police seems close to wrapping up investigation, the air has turned murkier. Caste passions are being whipped up and it is being suggested that there is more to the murder than meets the eye.

Fingers are being pointed even at Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel, with Congress leader Shankersinh Vaghela alleging that “the trail of Revashia’s murder leads to the Chief Minister’s door”. The Chief Minister has, however, denied the allegation and maintained that the law will take its course. But, interestingly, it is the BJP men who won’t let the controversy die.

In fact, events suggest deliberate orchestration. Amrutiya’s arrest soon after the murder caused a sensation, but the case quickly receded into the background. Then suddenly last week, the powerful Kadwa Patidar Samaj, or Kadwa Patels, organised a convention in Rajkot to seek “justice” for Amrutiya, also a Kadwa Patel. They alleged that the police wanted to `fix’ Amrutiya and demanded that the investigation should be handed over to some other agency. Around the same time, Amrutiya also went on a protest fast inside jail.

The Lohana Samaj, to which Revashia belongs, was quick to react. It threatened to organise its own convention, saying it would not tolerate attempts to influence investigation. Next, Deputy Minister for Labour and Employment Purshottam Solanki threatened that if the government released Amrutiya under pressure from Patidars, he would organise another rally of Koli Patels to demand the release of Gangaram Tapu. Both Tapu and Solanki are Koli Patels. Interestingly, Solanki even alleged that Amrutiya could hatch a conspiracy to eliminate Tapu, who is the police’s trump card in the case.

Congress spokesperson Hasmukh Patel says Solanki’s statement reflects on the law and order scene in the state and that “something is cooking”. But Minister of State for Home Haren Pandya says the government would not bow to any pressure. “We have arrested our own partymen and this is proof of our sincerity,” he says.

The case has driven a wedge between the Kadwa and Leuva sub-castes of Saurashtra Patels, who are supporters of the BJP. If Kadwa Patels like Purshottam Rupala, Chairman of the Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation, question the police investigation, the Leuva Patels, the sub-caste of the Chief Minister, back the official line that there should be no interference in the investigation.

According to Rupala, “The police doesn’t have any evidence beyond a telephonic conversation between Kanabhai (Amrutiya) and Gangaram, where the latter tells Amrutiya about eliminating Revashia. Does this mean he will commit the crime? Has the police cared to find out who others Tapu or Amrutiya spoke to? I do not know whether Amrutiya is innocent or not; I am asking if the police is doing its job in right earnest.”

Interestingly, neither Rupala, nor any other Amrutiya supporter specifies what is wrong with the police investigation, except making vague allegations that the investigating officer may be biased against the MLA. Rajkot DSP Rahul Sharma claims the police have substantial evidence against Amrutiya and Tapu, and are close to completing investigation. “The Sessions Court has refused Amrutiya bail, while he withdrew his application in Gujarat High Court before it was decided,” Sharma points out. But the controversy rages on.

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