Before suicide, MP Delkar frantically sought help from PM Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah & LS Speaker Om Birla

The deceased Lok Sabha MP from Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Mohan Delkar, who committed suicide in a Mumbai hotel on February 22, had written several letters to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, seeking “justice” before committing suicide.

The letters written by Delkar to PM Modi, Amit Shah and Birla reveal the helplessness of the lawmaker. National Herald has the copies of those letters.

In one of his letters, the late MP who accused Gujarat BJP leader Praful Kheda of harassment, wrote, “I have two options either to resign from the Parliament or commit suicide.”

While seeking justice from the PM, Delkar sent a letter to him on December 18, 2020 that read, “In some inauguration events my name is displayed showing my presence though I have not been called. This has caused me huge embarrassment and humiliation. I am still trying to cop up with the insult meted out to me by the UT administration.”

“You are kindly requested to take note of this incidence seriously and take appropriate action to give justice to me,” it added. Pertinently, he copied the same letter to the Home Minister Amit Shah.

On January 31, 2021, almost 20 days before killing himself by hanging, Delkar wrote another letter to PM seeking appointment for a few minutes. “I have received information that the administration and police are trying to frame me in fake charges and to inflict damage on me and my family. The administration has created an atmosphere of fear in the state/UT,” said Delkar in his letter.

“Sir, situation has worsened so much so that me and my family are living under tremendous pressure. Therefore, I request you to intervene and instruct officials…I request to grant me a few minutes so that I can apprise you about the whole situation,” read Delkar’s second letter.

Eighteen days before writing his second letter to the PM, Delkar wrote another letter to Home Minister Amit Shah in English in which he pointed out alleged conspiracies hatched against him.

In his letter, Delkar emphasized that he was humiliated by the UT Administration on the Liberation Day of Dadra and Nagar Haveli by denying him to deliver a speech.

“As in the past also, in several occasions the undersigned has been humiliated either by not giving proper protocol respect by the UT Administration officers or by insulting in public functions such as denial of public speech as per practice on the occasion of the Liberation Day of Dadra and Nagar Haveli which is celebrated on 2nd August. The said matter is also referred by Hon’ble speaker, Lok Sabha, to the Privilege Committee for action,” he said.

Delkar copied the same letter to Om Birla on January 12, 2021, reiterating that instead of “correcting themselves, the UT Administration continued with the act of humiliation and disrespect”. It is important to mention here that Delkar had already sent a detailed e-mail to Om Birla apprising him of his mental agony and harassment.

Seven days later, on January 19, 2021, Delkar wrote another letter to Birla, naming Apurva Sharma RDC (Silvasa), alleging disrespect and humiliation. Taking cognizance of Delkar’s letters, the privilege committee of Lok Sabha heard the matter on February 12, 2021.

Reacting to it, the Mumbai Congress questioned the silence on part of the PM and the Union Home Minister. Maharashtra Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant said, “Before committing suicide Delkar had knocked doors of all the powerful people who are holding constitutional posts and pleaded for urgent help. He wrote letters to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home minister Amit shah asking for their help. The Prime Minister and Home Minister could have helped Delkar but they did not.”

Demanding explanation from the Privilege Committee, Sawant added, “If the government would have taken immediate steps, Delkar’s life could have been saved. Delkar commited suicide because he was completely disappointed.”

Delkar who had stints in both the BJP and the Congress was an Independent politician serving as a MP at the time of his suicide. He had joined the Congress in 2009 but distanced himself from the party in 2019 and successfully contested the election as an Independent candidate.

A popular leader in his constituency, seven-time MP Delkar was found dead in a hotel in the Marine Drive area of south Mumbai on February 22. Following an uproar, the Mumbai Police have registered an FIR against former Gujarat minister Praful Kheda Patel and eight others in the case.