Agnivesh seeks SC-monitored probe into attack on him

Thiruvananthapuram: Social activist Swami Agnivesh on Tuesday sought a Supreme Court-monitored probe into the recent attack on him allegedly by BJP activists at Jharkhand and blamed the state and Central governments for the incident.

Swami also refuted the statement of Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das that the state government had no information about his visit there and reiterated that he had written to the Chief Minister about it on July 2 itself.

Agnivesh also said that the organisers of the programme, which he was to attend, had also informed the district administration.

The 79-year-old Agnivesh was on July 17 slapped, kicked and verbally abused in Jharkhand's Pakur town by groups allegedly affiliated to the BJP for speaking against Hindus.

Refuting Swami Agnivesh's claim that the attack on him in Jharkhand last month was "pre-planned",Chief Minister Raghubar Das had said neither he nor the state authorities had any information about the social activist's visit to the state.

"Everything was a pre-planned one with the patronage of the Centre and the State governments', Agnivesh told PTI on the sidelines of a seminar at the Press Club here.

"I blame Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the attack', he said and demanded a Supreme Court monitored Special Investigation Team to probe the attack.