Medha Patkar in court over her assault

AHMEDABAD: Social activist Medha Patkar appeared before a magisterial court on Tuesday, a decade after she filed a compliant against five members of the Hindutva brigade that severely beat her up during a peace meeting at Gandhi Ashram in 2002.
Patkar appeared for deposition in response to a witness summons issued by the court last week. After the proceedings, Patkar said that the delay of 10 years in such a case was too much.“I always tried that prosecution took place earlier, but due to lack of communication my deposition was not possible,” she said.
Patkar, a prominent leader of the Narmada Bachao Andolan, visited the city and attended a meeting organized at Gandhi Ashram on April 7, 2002 to protest against the riots. She was singled out and brutally beaten up allegedly by members of the saffron brigade that targeted her by terming her anti-Gujarat for her stand on the Narmada issue. The police had to lathi-charge the mob. Some journalists covering the event were also hurt as they faced the fury from the mob as well as the police.
Three days later, Patkar faxed her complaint from Badvani in Madhya Pradesh. A probe was conducted on basis of her accusations and the Sabarmati police filed a charge-sheet against four persons. Those charged by police were former city mayor Amit Shah, president of BJP Yuva Morcha Amit Thaker, Rohit Patel and Vinaykumar Saxena. Police charged them with unlawful assembly , rioting, causing hurt, wrongful restraint and criminal intimidation. The four were arrested in June that year and later released on bail.
The Investigating Officer cited 72 witnesses, who included Gandhian leaders, social activists and academicians who participated in the meeting . Journalists and some senior policemen were also made witnesses.
During the court proceedings on Tuesday, metropolitan magistrate A S Desai asked a few questions to Patkar about her qualification and address and adjourned the process of her deposition till June 18.
Meanwhile, a resolution not to proceed with cases as passed by the local bar association in the wake of the death of a senior advocate was also a reason behind the adjournment.
While Patkar was in the witness box, all four persons accused of criminal intimidation and beating her were standing barely two feet away from her.