By IANS,
New Delhi : A three-year long legal battle for justice for his slain father and now the shocking murder of one of his close aides – Himanshu Sabharwal, whose father was beaten to death by students, said these incidents have started taking a toll on him. He, however, added that he has reached a point of no return.
“I am also a human being, these incidents take a toll on you. However there is no going back now,” Himanshu told IANS.
Professor H.S.Sabharwal, Himanshu’s father, died after being beaten up by students in Ujjain’s Madhav College August 2006.
However, a court in Maharashtra, where the trial was transferred on Himanshu’s plea, July 13 acquitted six activists of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) – the students wing of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) – of the charges of beating the professor to death. The court cited lack of evidence as the reason.
While Himanshu is still fighting for justice for his father, one of his close aides, Parminder Singh, was found murdered in Delhi University campus Thursday.
According to police, Singh, Himanshu and their friend Pooja were planning a candle light vigil seeking justice for Professor Sabharwal’s muder. They pasted posters for the campaign in Delhi University between 8-11 p.m. Thursday to gather people for the candlelight vigil Sunday at India Gate.
Barely hours later, Singh’s body was noticed in the Maurice Nagar area near Khalsa College by a passerby.
“It was shocking. Pooja, I and Parminder were sticking posters in the Delhi University area inviting people to join us in a candle light vigil to seek justice for Professor Sabharwal. A student leader of Ramjas college also joined us later,” Himanshu said.
“After that, we went our way. I dropped Pooja en route and reached home at 12.45 a.m. Around 1 a.m. I got a call from Parminder’s wife who said that he had not yet reached home. He was on his bike. I told his wife that he should be home soon,” Himanshu said.
When he finally got to know about Singh’s death, Himanshu was updating his blog on Facebook, writing about his father.
A portion of his updated blog read: “On the 26th of August, 2006, this man was killed in cold blood after his face was smeared with mud, his clothes torn and he was kicked and boxed in the chest which broke his ribs and punctured his lungs. I saw his body on the 27th, blue and black in the mortuary with eyes static in oblivion. For this man, I demand justice.”
Coming back to the issue of Singh’s murder, in relation to which Himanshu was questioned by the police, he said: “I was shocked. Parminder was a harmless guy, he couldn’t have animosity with anyone.”
“In these three years I have seen so much dirt around…it’s just unimaginable. First my father and then Parminder. Now some sections of people are trying to malign me. It just takes a toll on me at times.”
“But I have seen the system so close that I can’t ignore it. I have to go on,” he said.
The candle light vigil, organised by Himanshu and other supporters like those in the ‘Justice for Professor Sabharwal’ group, will be held in India Gate Sunday evening.