Mathura (UP): Aam Aadmi Party convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday committed a gaffe at his Mathura rally by paying homage to four RTI activists, three of whom are alive.
He began his speech by reading out an obituary note in which he named Amit Jethwa , Bhagu Dewani, Jaisukh Bhambhaniya and Manisha Goswami as martyrs for the cause of society.
Kejriwal said: "First of all, I want to pay homage to those who have sacrificed their lives in the last 10 years while fighting against corruption in Gujarat. My homage to them from the bottom of my heart."
Only Amit Jethwa among the four RTI activists is dead. He was murdered.
Bhagu Dewani is a lawyer from Porbandar district. He was attacked three years back, but he is in fine health presently, and says, he is likely to join AAP soon.
Dewani was pulled out of his car in Porbandar by five persons on July 25, 2011, and was stabbed in his stomach. But he survived. He alleged the hand of Gujarat minister Babubhai Bokhiria behind the attack.
He has also filed a petition in the High Court accusing Bokhiria of running illegal mines in the Porbandar district.
Jaysukh Bhambhania (42) said, "I am fortunate to be alive after an attack on August 24, 2011. I was attacked with swords and pipes followed by a failed acid attack, after I had filed an RTI application regarding construction of a restaurant and bogus license issued by RTO to bike-vendors."
Bhambhania also blamed some local politicians and government officers for the attack.
Manisha Goswami was attacked on September 21, 2011 following her RTI application seeking details of environment clearances obtained by a private firm. "She now lives in Vapi," one of the rights activists told PTI.
When asked for a comment, AAP's Gujarat convener Sukhdev Patel said, "When he mentioned the names, I was not there, but I will certainly check this out."
