One of the two men accused of attacking former Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student and activist Umar Khalid in 2018 will contest the Haryana Assembly elections on a Shiv Sena ticket.
Naveen Dayal, who joined the party six months ago, has been fielded from Bahadurgarh constituency, reported The Indian Express.
“We are fighting the same battle — for nationalism, cow protection and recognition for our freedom fighters. BJP and Congress governments don’t have anything to do with farmers, martyrs, cows or the poor. They are just interested in politics,” 29-year-old Dalal told the newspaper.
WHEN DALAL ATTACKED KHALID
In August 2018, Dalal and Darwesh Shahpur were allegedly involved in a failed attempt to shoot Khalid outside New Delhi's Constitution Club. The JNU student had escaped unhurt.
Two days later, on Independence Day, the duo from Haryana had released a video on Facebook saying they plotted the attempt on Umar Khalid’s life. A Special Cell of Delhi Police arrested Dalal and Shahpur on 20 August 2018.
Dalal is currently out on bail in the case and the matter is pending before the court.
SENA JUSTIFIES DALAL's CANDIDATURE
Vikram Yadav, one of the party's top Haryana leaders, told The Indian Express, that Dalal did not have a "personal issue" with Khalid but was "upset" that they chanted "anti-India" slogans.
“He didn’t have a personal issue (with Khalid). He was upset that these people had chanted anti-India slogans in a university in the capital. He was also upset that there was no action taken against them. So from Naveen’s perspective, it was a way to show his patriotism,” Yadav said.
Dalal has mentioned two other cases against him in his election affidavit, apart from the Khalid attack case.
(With inputs from The Indian Express)
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