Naresh Meena Arrested in Tonk, Rajasthan After Slapping SDM; Image of Him Sleeping in Lockup Goes Viral
Independent candidate Naresh Meena was arrested after he slapped Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Amit Choudhary in the assembly by-elections in Devli-Uniyara in Tonk, Rajasthan. The incident occurred on the night of the voting on Wednesday. The news created an outrage and led to the police acting differently.
Naresh Meena, who allegedly slapped the SDM, was arrested by the police on Thursday morning. A picture of Meena, who was lying on the ground in a police lockup, spread like wildfire on social media, where he is slumbering behind the bars. The arrests came after Meena had publicly stated he would not surrender unless his demands were met. Meena had allegedly accused SDM Choudhary of rigging the election process by forcing the villagers to vote for the BJP candidate, an allegation he said he raised before the authorities before the slap.
Meena's arrest was not without drama. Heavy police presence would not deter Meena and his supporters; they resented it and held a sit-in protest demanding an investigation into the allegedly defiled electoral process. Reports were that while at protest sit, police forces deployed by the SP arrested him and over 50 his supporters. Arrest came after police was needed for a daring operation to maintain law and order in the village.
Among others, Meena indicted SDM Choudhary of coercing the government employees to vote in the election by threatening their jobs. According to Meena, several local officials have been threatened that they would lose their jobs if they don't vote for the government employees. In this context, Meena said the local election official indulged in such activities under the instance of political prejudice and personal interest with the ruling party.
The arrest has also acted as an additional spark of tensions, with RAS officers rallying in protest against Meena's actions. More than 200 officers visited the residence of the Chief Minister and demanded stern action against the candidate. Several criminal cases have been lodged against Meena, including over 23, of which five remain to be processed.
Despite the slap and defiance of authorities, this arrest points to increasing political tension and election-related violence in Rajasthan. Whether his calls for justice against the SDM would further escalate their legal or political consequences is a matter to be seen in the wake of all drama surrounding politics.
