Dalit scholar arrested for FB post on Durga`s suspension

Rampur: Eminent Dalit scholar, Kamal Bharti, was arrested here on Tuesday on a complaint by Uttar Pradesh Minister Azam Khan`s aide for his alleged Facebook post on suspended IAS officer Durga Sakthi Nagpal.

Bharti, author of various books dealing with problems faced by Dalits, in his post said that the Gautam Budh Nagar SDM was suspended for alleged demolition of wall of a mosque. He went on to say that in Rampur a madarsa was recently demolished and its manager was placed behind the bars but no action was taken against the officials who were deputed to demolish the institution. The madarsa was demolished because it was allegedly constructed on the land of a graveyard, sources said. In his post, Bharti said it is the `will and wish` of the Urban Development minister Azam Khan which prevails and not the law of the land. In the complaint, Azam Khan`s PRO Fasahat Ali Khan alleged that Bharti had made a derogatory remark against the UP minister. On the complaint, a case was registered against Bharti at Civil Lines police station and he was arrested, police said. Bharti was produced before the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate VK Pandey, which granted him bail. PTI