Indian Express; Hiral Dave: Thu Apr 07 2011,
Rajkot : NGO says clipping was uploaded to make evidence public;
Two hours after a group from Rajkot uploaded a video on YouTube website showing self-immolation by Jobardan Gadhvi following denial of information under the RTI Act at Rapar mamlatdar office, the clipping was removed by the portal calling it “shocking and disgusting”.
Balendra Vaghela, a member of NGO Public Unity for Civil Liberty, who had uploaded the video on Tuesday, maintained that the motive behind putting the video online was to make the evidence public.
“I uploaded the video around 9 am. I received an e-mail from YouTube around 11 pm informing that it has been removed as content was found to be shocking and disgusting,” said Vaghela.
This 25MB clip opens with Gadhvi engulfed in flames and ends after he dies.
Vaghela claimed he had obtained the video from one of the persons present at the mamlatdar office on February 21.
“This person recorded the sad event on his cellphone. The PUCL wants to be a co-complainant in the case. For the same, it held a meeting with locals during which came to know about this video.”
As an investigation against a suspended mamlatdar, a police sub-inspector and a talati is being conducted by the local police, Vaghela said the police should have this video as evidence.
Gadhvi (45), a resident of Davri village in Rapar taluka of Kutch district who wanted details of a piece of land that he claimed was owned by his family, had set self ablaze at the Rapar mamlatdar office on February 21.
Gadhvi had reportedly informed the district panchayat office, local police and district collector in advance about his decision of self-immolation, as a result of which, two policemen were deployed at the spot. But they could not stop Gadhvi from taking the extreme step.
Following the incident, Kutch District Collector N Thennarsan suspended Davri talti Pravina Jadav, mamlatdar A Zala and Rapar sub-inspector R Parmar.
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