VHP protest in Nagpur demands removal of minority panel chief

Nagpur.

The Vishva Hindu Parishad held a sharp protest at Badkas Chowk on Monday demanding the immediate removal of State Minority Commission chairman Pyare Khan, who has been mired in controversy since he demanded the release from jail of terrorist Abu Salem. The Parishad warned it would intensify the agitation if its demand was not acted upon immediately.

Pyare Khan had recently inspected Nashik jail, where Abu Salem, convicted in the Mumbai bomb blasts case, is serving a life sentence. After meeting him, Pyare Khan had demanded Abu Salem's release from jail. Controversy over Pyare Khan has raged since then. The Vishva Hindu Parishad had demanded his immediate removal from office. The Parishad had accused him of having links with Abu Salem and demanded that the NIA investigate this, and that the ED and CBI probe his business dealings and financial growth. On 15 September, the Parishad had also submitted a memorandum to the district collector. With no action taken on this so far, the Parishad held the protest at Badkas Chowk on Monday.

Parishad minister Amol Thakre said Pyare Khan has brought disrepute to the post of chairman of the Minority Commission. He is the first chairman to have met a terrorist and demanded his release. Pyare Khan has also become a land mafia figure besides supporting cattle smuggling and "love jihad". He has grabbed the land of several people. Victims have been contacting the Parishad, he said. He roams around with criminals, Thakre said. The chief minister should remove him from his post immediately, he said, warning that the Parishad would otherwise launch a fierce agitation. The demonstration was joined by a large number of Parishad and Bajrang Dal members, including Amol Thakre, co-minister Raju Pawanarkar, Neelkanth Gupta, co-minister Prem Jhamnani, vice-president Vilas Patil, Bajrang Dal convenor Shubham Arkhel and co-convenor Rahul Narnaware.