Woman manhandled; LS panel summons Guj police, officials

Senior Gujarat police and administration officials have been summoned by a Parliamentary panel following a privilege notice by a Lok Sabha member that she was allegedly manhandled while on way to attend a government function in the state.

The Privileges Committee of Lok Sabha decided to summon the SP, collector and two deputy SPs of Dahod district on July 20 following complaint by Congress MP Prabha Kishor Taviad that she was manhandled while on way to attend the Gujarat Divas celebrations on May 1.

Based on their deposition, other senior police officials, including the DGP, could be summoned.

Taviad had alleged in the Lok Sabha that she was manhandled by the state administration during the Gujarat Divas celebrations.

Another Congress MP Girija Vyas had also raised the issue on her behalf in the House claiming that police had dragged Taviad to a jeep as soon as she ventured out of her house for Gujarat Divas celebrations and was mistreated by them.

Tavid would also be called before the panel on the same day to give "additional evidence", Committee chairman P C Chacko said.

The committee, meanwhile, could not discuss the privilege notice issued against activist Arvind Kejriwal for his alleged remarks against parliamentarians. While he is set to be called before the panel, the date is yet to be decided. The issue would now be taken up in the next meeting.

In their notices given in March, Congress MPs Jagdambika Pal and Sajjan Singh Verma had claimed that Kejriwal demeaned the institution of Parliament and its members by reportedly making derogatory remarks against them.