Woman BJP leader attempts self-immolation, accuses party MLA of harassment

A woman BJP leader in Uttar Pradesh’s Deoband on Saturday attempted to immolate herself in front of the residence of local BJP legislator Kunwar Brijesh Singh, accusing the MLA of harassing her and having false police cases lodged against her family.

The woman, Shashi Tyagi, is a member of the Zila Panchayat.

She sprinkled kerosene over her body but was prevented from setting herself on fire by the police personnel and a few party workers present there. She, however, later consumed kerosene and has been hospitalised. The incident happened around 10 am.

Deoband chief medical officer Inder Raj confirmed that Tyagi had consumed a copious amounts of kerosene and looking at her serious condition, she has been referred to the district hospital in Saharanpur.

At a press conference on Friday, Tyagi had alleged that MLA Brijesh Singh had been using his clout to get false police cases registered against her family members to pressurise her. She said that the police were raiding her house under MLA’s pressure.

She had told mediapersons that her voice was not being heard at any level and now ending her life was the only way out for her.

Refuting the allegations, MLA Brijesh Singh said that the police case against Tyagi’s father had been lodged by a person of their village. He said that the other case pertained to eve teasing in which too he did not have a say.

Deoband Station House Officer (SHO) Anand Dev Mishra said that investigation was on in the cases registered against Shashi Tyagi’s family members. He insisted that the police was impartially doing the investigation and would continue to do so.

After MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar and former Union minister Swami Chinmayanand, this is the third such case in the last few months when a woman has accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lawmakers of sexual or other form of harassment.

Interestingly, the police do not show haste in lodging FIRs or arresting the powerful BJP leaders as it does in arresting leaders of other parties.