Ajmer blast accused on hunger strike against Shinde’s ‘Hindu terror’ remark

Jaipur: A key accused in 2007 Ajmer Dargah blast case who is in judicial custody in a jail here is on an indefinite hunger strike against Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde`s remarks on Hindu terrorism and has been admitted to hospital, prison officials and his family said. DIG Jail Sarwar said that Bharat Bhai Rateshwar informed the jail authorities on January 26 that he was on strike against the minister’s remarks on Hindu terrorism.

"He was admitted to SMS hospital on January 27 when his condition deteriorated, IV fluid was administered to him. "He was discharged last night but was again taken to hospital when his condition deteriorated," Sarwar said. Rateshwar`s wife Kavita said he was on hunger strike as he felt that Shinde`s remarks could affect ongoing investigations has demanded an apology from the Minister. She also sought intervention of Congress president Sonia Gandhi in the matter. "My husband began the indefinite strike against the Home Minister`s unfortunate remarks because the statement made in the programme of a political party may cast adverse impact on the ongoing investigation," Kavita told reporters here on Thursday. "Shinde should retract the statement. The statement is unfortunate because no community or religion can be tagged like this." Kavita, who is from Gujarat, also accused investigating agencies of torturing her husband during the period of his arrest two years back. The blast on the premises of the dargah of Sufi Saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti had left three persons dead and 15 others injured. A hospital spokesperson said that Rateshwar was admitted to a ward in the evening today. Shinde, addressing the AICC meeting here on January 20, had said, "...We have got an investigation report that be it RSS or BJP, their training camps are promoting Hindu terrorism. We are keeping a strict vigil on all this." PTI