AAP MP Sanjay Singh, accused PFI dalal, thrown ink in Hathras

Hathras/Lucknow: Ink was thrown at Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Sanjay Singh in Hathras on Monday, when he was returning after meeting the family of a Dalit woman who died recently after allegedly being gangraped.

Singh was speaking to reporters when a man threw ink on his white kurta and shouted "PFI dalal wapas jao".

The incident was captured by the electronic media. The footage showed that the man continued to shout slogans, despite being overpowered by AAP workers and police, who were deployed in strength near the residence of the 19-year-old alleged gangrape victim.

Singh left the spot in his vehicle immediately after the incident.

The Popular Front of India (PFI), has been accused of funding certain protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) that took place across the country earlier this year. The Uttar Pradesh police had earlier sought a ban on the organisation.

Talking to PTI over the phone, Singh alleged that a man named Dipak Sharma threw ink at him in the presence of police personnel and described it as "the most cowardly act".

He added that AAP MLAs and office-bearers were there with him at the time of the incident.

In a tweet, the MP tagged a photo in which Sharma is seen standing with ADG, Law and Order Prashant Kumar and said, "Is there anything else to understand? This is the accused who attacked. Along with him is ADG, Law and Order Prashant Kumar. We were in police security. Yogiji, do not hide your deeds behind the black ink. Fire from the front."

He said Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath can get cases lodged against him, send him to jail, get him beaten up or even killed, but this fight for justice for the "Hathras ki beti" will continue.

Singh is among the several political leaders who have visited Hathras to meet the family members of the 19-year-old Dalit woman, who died in a Delhi hospital on September 29 after allegedly being raped by four upper-caste men.

Reacting to Monday's incident, Delhi Chief Minister and AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal said in a tweet in Hindi: "Sanjay ji, you have been speaking fearlessly against the injustice and atrocities of the Uttar Pradesh government. They lodged 14 FIRs against you, sealed your office, but did not dare to arrest you, so they got you attacked today. This shows the defeat and disgrace of those in the Uttar Pradesh government. It means you are on the right track."

The accused was held soon after the incident, the Hathras police said.

In a statement, the police said Singh had come to meet the Dalit woman's family in Bool Garhi village. Later, during a press conference, a young man threw ink at him. The accused was immediately taken into custody and legal proceedings are underway, they added.