Action committee seeking justice for Jhota's murder objects to HM Amit Shah's visit

CHANDIGARH: The Insaaf Action Committee, which is seeking justice for slain anti-drug activist Parminder Singh Jhota, has opposed Union Home Minister Amit Shah's proposed visit to the bereaved family in Mansa on Tuesday, while Jhota's father, Bhim Singh, has welcomed it.

The committee said it would not allow Shah to address the gathering, arguing that drugs had entered Punjab from Gujarat and other BJP-ruled states. It questioned how the Union Home Minister could address an anti-drug protest when BJP-led governments had failed to curb the menace in their own states.

The committee also accused the BJP of exploiting public sympathy over Jhota's death to further its electoral ambitions in Punjab. It cited paper leaks and the alleged mistreatment of farmers as failures of the government.

The committee's stand has sparked differences among protesters. Some questioned the opposition to Shah's visit, pointing out that leaders of other parties, including Punjab BJP president Kewal Singh Dhillon, had already addressed the gathering.

Rajwinder Singh Rana, a leftist leader from Mansa, said the committee would ask Bhim to stay away from the meeting. Accompanied by other committee members, Rana said the drug menace was prevalent across states and was not confined to Punjab.

"BJP-led governments have failed to curb the drug menace in states where the party is in power. The BJP leadership is trying to exploit Jhota's tragic death for its electoral ambitions in Punjab," he said.

Sources said Shah was expected to visit Jhota's family but had no plans to address the protest.

Welcoming the proposed visit, Jhota's father said Shah had already promised strict action. "We will submit our demands in writing too, but he has already taken suo motu action," he said.

Bhim also levelled allegations against a retired DSP and questioned why the incumbent DSP had not reached the spot when the incident occurred. He said he would ask Shah to order an inquiry into the retired officer's conduct and properties.

.Father of slain anti-drug activist Jhota calls for Punjab bandh on October 15, demands CM Mann's resignation.

The father added that he would approach the Governor, seeking the resignation of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and the DGP.

The protesters have barred AAP leaders and others from entering the protest site.

The committee has also urged people not to donate money in the name of the agitation without first consulting Jhota's family. Its members said they had no information about funds reportedly being raised through a GoFundMe campaign abroad or other platforms.

"We had heard that around 1.6 lakh Australian dollars had been raised through the campaign, but no one has contacted us so far. We don't have a bank account or QR code to collect funds. Anyone wishing to contribute should first speak to the family. Contributions can also be made to the committee managing the protest," a committee member said.

Meanwhile, Bhim said he would remove AAP hoardings even if the police registered cases against him. He alleged that cases had been registered against him in the past and criticised the CM.

The deceased drug activist's father also accused the police of using social media to build a narrative that neither Jhota nor his friends had contacted them before the incident.

"Some people are talking about the call records of Jhota and others. I want to know how anyone can access such records," he said.

Bhim paid tribute to his son by prostrating before a large hoarding installed at the chemist shop where he was killed. The building has since been demolished.

Protesters blackened the portraits of Mann, AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal and former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, and hit them with footwear.

Five days after the murder, the family had yet to consent to a post-mortem examination of Jhota's body, which remains in the mortuary of the Civil Hospital in Mansa.

Two parallel protests are underway to prevent the police and administration from cremating the body. One is at Tinkoni Chowk, near the Deputy Commissioner's residence on the Barnala-Sirsa road, and the other is outside the Civil Hospital. Several Nihangs are sitting outside the mortuary.