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Kejriwal attacker threatens hunger strike

By IANS,

Lucknow : Jitendra Pathak, who attacked social activist Arvind Kejriwal, Saturday said he would observe an indefinite hunger strike if Anna Hazare failed to provide a “satisfactory reply” to his questions sent in a letter to Hazare.

In his letter, Pathak has primarily sought to know from Hazare his stand on the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackerey’s “anti-north Indian campaign”, and controversial statement over Kashmir made by Team Anna member Prashant Bhushan.

“In my letter to Anna Hazare, I have asked him why the two should not be tried for sedition. I have categorically asked Hazare whether he personally wants the two should be tried for sedition for their anti-national sentiments,” Pathak told reporters here.

“I have given a week’s time to Hazare to clear his stand on the two issues and respond to the letter. If he (Hazare) fails to come out with a satisfactory reply, I will undertake an indefinite fast-unto-death at the GPO park in this state capital,” said Pathak.

“In the letter, I have also asked Hazare the reason for his silence as far as the attacks on north-Indians are concerned by some of the political outfits in his home state of Maharashtra,” he added.

Pathak, a native of Uttar Pradesh’s Jalaun district, lost his job after he hurled a slipper at Kejriwal during a function in Lucknow Oct 18.

He worked as a supervisor at a city-based private construction company – Ansh Project Service.

“Taking into account his aggressive and violent nature, we have dismissed Jitendra, who was working as a supervisor with the company,” Ravindra Singh, chairman of the city-based Ansh Project Service, had told IANS.

“He (Pathak) was hired by us a few months ago. Though I don’t remember that Jitendra was involved in any kind of indiscipline during his short stint with the company, what he did with Arvind Kejriwal is shocking and surprising,” Singh said.