BJP Youth Wing Leader Accused of Land-grabbing and Threatening

Shreyansh Rathi, a resident of Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, took to Twitter on December 12, Tuesday and wrote about his family’s land being allegedly encroached upon by Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) city secretary, KK Gautam.

My father had a vacant plot in his name and it had been left empty for many years, suddenly a few months back my father got to know that someone has illegally encroached our land and has made a wall closing down the entrance and,

— shreyansh (@shreyanshrathi) December 12, 2018

Rathi wrote that his father had tried to register an FIR, but the police refused citing that the BJP was in power in the state and “they (the police) cannot do much..”

they will not help us because who wants to come in the way of the mighty ruling party BJP. My father himself is a lawyer so he filed a petition in court to get the illegal encroachment removed but as you all know how indian courts work, we got no help,

— shreyansh (@shreyanshrathi) December 12, 2018

He also mentioned that his father, a lawyer, had filed a petition in the court but they “got no help”. Things took a turn for the worse when Rathi’s father started getting calls from “BJP goondas” and Gautam, who threatened “dire consequences” if he (Rathi’s father) did not withdraw the case. Rathi wrote that this severely affected his father’s mental health.

This affected my father’s physical and mental health a lot and he started getting anxiety attacks and sleepless nights just because of the fear. We are common tax paying citizens who have always lived our lives in peace and

— shreyansh (@shreyanshrathi) December 12, 2018

But it has damaged him from inside and he who used to fight against injustice in courts is facing injustice and what does this system do? legitimise a goonda? My father who has been practising law for 25 years is afraid to go to court thinking what will people say about him.

— shreyansh (@shreyanshrathi) December 12, 2018

Rathi underlined that his father had been a supporter of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government, and “that’s what he (Rathi’s father) gets”. He said that U.P. Chief Minister Adityanath and PM Modi “lost an old supporter”.

I just talked to my father on the phone and his broken voice forced me to write this long thread, I don’t know will it make a difference or not but I just wanted to warn all the bhakts out there, these guys are not different so stop wasting your time and life in defending them.

— shreyansh (@shreyanshrathi) December 12, 2018

Rathi also attached the complaint that he had submitted to the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP):

I’m also attaching the complaint we gave to the SSP but still no action taken. pic.twitter.com/DOFg3D4b6m

— shreyansh (@shreyanshrathi) December 12, 2018

Rathi wrote that he had received a call from BJYM “high command” giving him assurances but that even after 24 hours of posting the thread on Twitter, the city’s MLA, Shrikant Sharma, had not reacted. “Arrogance will destroy you and your party sir,” he wrote.

On Thursday, December 13, Rathi posted an update saying that  Chief Minister Adityanath’s Officer on Special Duty (OSD) had contacted Rathi’s father, asking him to meet the SSP.

UPDATE – my father just told me that half and hour ago he got a call from OSD of @myogiadityanath and he asked him to meet SSP, as my father is out of town he’ll meet him tomorrow or day after tomorrow. This is a small victory guys and I’m grateful of you all for your support.

— shreyansh (@shreyanshrathi) December 13, 2018

Rathi, however, was not hopeful despite the developments. He wrote, “I don’t think that person (KK Gautam) will let go off that property this easily and will try to manipulate the system again.”

But the fight is not over yet guys, i don’t think that person will let go off that property this easily and will try to manipulate the system again, so maybe I will need your support even more in future. Thank you again for making me believe that humanity is still alive.

— shreyansh (@shreyanshrathi) December 13, 2018