Agnivesh fails to meet J'khand guv; pandemonium in state assembly

Social activist Swami Agnivesh, who was attacked in Jharkhand's Pakur town by a mob which he said belonged to BJP-affiliated youth groups, failed to get an audience with Governor Draupadi Murmu today and returned to Delhi.

"My appointment with the Governor was cancelled without any reason," the 79-year-old activist told reporters here as he hinted that the Pakur episode might be the reason behind it.

The prominent activist known for his work against bonded labour, was slapped, kicked around and verbally abused in Pakur town yesterday. He alleged that BJP-affiliated youth groups who accused him of speaking against Hindus were behind the attack.

Raj Bhawan sources, however, said the Pakur incident and the subsequent assertions by the activist against the state government were not behind the cancellation of Agnivesh's appointment.

"An appointment with the Governor was sought yesterday afternoon over telephone which was accepted, but seeing pressing prior engagements of the Governor, it was cancelled last afternoon itself and conveyed to them," sources in the Raj Bhawan said on conditions of anonymity.

Although the beleaguered spiritual leader could not meet the Governor, he said former Union minister and Congress leader Subodh Kant Sahay, Jharkhand Vikas Morcha chief Babulal Marandi and Pakur MLA Alamgir Alam (Congress) met him in Ranchi and expressed shock over the incident.

Agnivesh was assaulted as he came out after addressing a press conference, where he attacked the BJP government in the state for "displacing the tribals by acquiring their land and giving it to corporate".

He was in Pakur, about 350 km from the state capital Ranchi, to attend an event of tribal body Akhil Bharatiya Adim Janjatiya Vikas Samiti.

"As soon as I came out of the venue, Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) and Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) activists attacked me without any provocation. They alleged that I was speaking against Hindus," Agnivesh had said.

Police said an FIR was lodged in connection with the assault under various sections of IPC, including 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting with deadly weapon), 149 (unlawful assembly) and 307 (attempt to murder), and the Schedule Caste/Schedule Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.

The FIR has been registered against 100 persons, out of which eight are named, police said.

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by