One assailant of PR official surrenders

THE PEN down strike by the employees at public relations department continued on Friday as well even as one of the two persons accused for roughing up PR official Pankaj Mittal surrendered before the police.

THE PEN down strike by the employees at public relations department continued on Friday as well even as one of the two persons accused for roughing up PR official Pankaj Mittal surrendered before the police.

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The agitating staff was demanding arrest of Urja Vikas Nigam chairman Dilip Singh Shekhawat and his removal from the post. It may be recalled that Mittal was manhandled by Shekhawat and Sisodia along with some supporters near here on Thursday. The police have registered cases against the BJP leaders.

State Minister Paras Jain and City BJP president Jagdish Agrawal tried to diffuse the matter by visiting Mittal’s house Thursday night but his father Mohan Gupt, a retired IAS officer and former Ujjain divisional commissioner, reportedly turned them away saying his son was not at fault.

Meanwhile, Pankaj Mittal has written a letter to Secretary (public relations) expressing his anger over the incident. The letter said the attack was not on a person, but on the Madhya Pradesh Government. Mittal offered to resign saying he could not work in conditions where leaders and officials could pressurise him.

The PR departmental committee has called an urgent meeting here on Saturday to finalise the future direction of the agitation. Committee president Uma Shankar Mishra said the staff would not return to work unless their demands were met. The Press Federation, Laghu Patrakar Sangh and Shramjivi Patrakar Sangh have also condemned the incident.